Normative dual energy X-ray absorptiometry data in Swedish children and adolescents

To present normative dual energy X-ray absorptiometry data in healthy young Swedes.

Included were 710 girls and 759 boys aged 6-30 years from southern Sweden. Bone mineral content, bone mineral density, bone size, lean body and fat mass were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in total body, lumbar spine, hip, arms and legs.

Swedish children had similar bone mass to children in the Netherlands but higher than children in Canada and Korea. Height, weight, bone mass, bone size and lean mass increased at a constant rate from age 6 until the rapid increase in all traits at puberty. The pubertal growth spurt started earlier in girls than in boys, while the spurt in boys was larger in magnitude and occurred for a longer period. Around one-quarter of the adult total body and lumbar spine peak bone mineral content was gained during the 2 years with the fastest gain in both genders.

This study presents normative bone mass data in Swedish children, data that are similar to that in Dutch children but higher than in Canadian and Korean children. The gain in Swedish children seems to mimic the gain seen in children in other settings.