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Bone mass in First Nations, Asian and white newborn infants
Hope A Weiler1, Shirley C Fitzpatrick-Wong, Jeannine M Schellenberg
1School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada. hope.weiler@mcgill.ca
Growth, Development, and Aging : GDA
|August 20, 2008
Summary
Newborn bone mass differs by ethnicity, with Asian infants showing lower spine bone mineral content (BMC) than white or First Nations infants, independent of vitamin D levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Anthropology
Background:
- Bone mass accrual in newborns is influenced by maternal factors, including vitamin D status.
- Ethnic variations in bone mineral density (BMD) have been observed in various populations.
- Understanding early-life bone development is crucial for long-term skeletal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare bone mass in newborn infants of First Nations, white, and Asian mothers.
- To investigate the influence of vitamin D status on infant bone mass across ethnic groups.
- To identify potential ethnic disparities in neonatal bone development.
Main Methods:
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure bone mass in 50 healthy term infants.
- Cord plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels assessed vitamin D status.
- Infants were stratified by ethnicity and vitamin D sufficiency for comparative analysis using ANOVA.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in whole body, spine, or femur bone mineral content (BMC) were found between vitamin D sufficient and insufficient white infants.
- Asian infants exhibited significantly lower spine BMC compared to white infants (P < 0.01); First Nations infants showed intermediate values.
- No ethnic differences were observed in whole body or femur BMC, suggesting ethnicity-specific variations primarily in spinal bone mass.
Conclusions:
- White and First Nations newborn infants demonstrate comparable bone mass.
- Asian newborns present with reduced spine bone mass, a finding independent of vitamin D status at birth and body size.
- Ethnic background is a significant factor in neonatal spine bone mass accrual, warranting further investigation.
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