Bone histology of prehistoric inhabitants of the Canary Islands: Comparison between El Hierro and Gran Canaria

The trabecular bone mass (TBM) of the proximal epiphyses of right tibiae be longing to 273 prehispanic inhabitants of Gran Canaria (60.81% males and 35 .53% females) were assessed by histomorphometrical analysis of undecalcifie d samples and compared with that of 41 samples from El Hierro (52.63% males and 47.37% females). Among the prehispanic population of Gran Canaria 19.0 5% showed TBM values below 13.5% and 30.40% below 15%, although individual variability was high (range 6.71-35.4%). In sharp contrast with these resul ts, only one case (2.44%) from El Hierro showed a TBM value below 15%, wher eas mean TBM (23.50;+/- 5.60%) was significantly higher than that of the po pulation of Gran Canaria (17.88 +/- 5.20%). The high prevalence of osteopor osis on Gran Canaria may reflect protein-calorie malnutrition. Prehistorica lly Gran Canaria exhibited a relatively high population density (30-40/km(2 )) and a strong reliance on agriculture, in contrast with a lower populatio n density (4/km(2)) on the island El Hierro, where the population consumed mainly marine products. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.