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Velocities of bone mineral accrual in black and white American children

Siu L Hui1, Anthony J Perkins, Jaroslaw Harezlak

  • 1Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. shui@iupui.edu

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research : the Official Journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
|March 5, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Black children gain bone mineral faster than white children during prepuberty and early puberty. This difference in bone mineral accrual contributes to higher bone mass in Black adults.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Bone biology
  • Growth and development

Background:

  • Black adults exhibit higher bone mass than white adults in the U.S.
  • The timing of accelerated bone mineral accrual in Black versus white children is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the growth velocity of total-body bone mineral content (TBMC) between Black and white children.
  • To determine age and Tanner stage-specific differences in bone accrual rates.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study involving 188 Black and white children (ages 5-15) was conducted.
  • Total-body bone mineral content (TBMC) and area were measured annually for up to 4 years.
  • Age and Tanner stage-specific growth velocities for TBMC and area were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Growth velocities for TBMC and area varied significantly with age and Tanner stage between racial groups.
  • Black children demonstrated higher age-specific velocities during prepuberty and early puberty.
  • Velocities reversed in later Tanner stages, with no higher total TBMC gain in Black children from age 5-15.

Conclusions:

  • Higher bone mass in Black adults is not due to faster pubertal accrual but rather higher prepubertal and potentially postpubertal accrual rates.
  • Differences in TBMC velocity are largely explained by growth in body size.
  • Earlier entry into Tanner stages did not result in longer duration of puberty for Black children.

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