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Dual X-Ray absorptiometry leg length in youth
Jack S Dooley1, Lance C Liu1, Bonny Donzella2
1Laboratory of Integrative Human Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Summary
Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) provides an accurate leg length measurement, correlating highly with traditional methods. This technique can reliably assess associations between leg length and cardiometabolic health in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Anthropometry
- Radiological imaging
- Adolescent health
Background:
- Leg length is a known predictor of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and type 2 diabetes risk.
- Traditional leg length measurement involves subtracting seated from standing leg length.
- Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offers a potential alternative method for determining leg length.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between DXA-derived leg length (DXA-LL) and traditionally derived leg length (T-LL).
- To determine if DXA-LL and T-LL measures yield similar associations with cardiometabolic health and bone density.
- To validate DXA as an accurate tool for leg length measurement in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- 140 adolescents (74 birth-reared, 66 previously institutionalized) underwent traditional leg length measurements and whole-body DXA scans.
- DXA-derived leg length (DXA-LL) was calculated using custom regions of interest.
- Statistical analyses examined correlations between DXA-LL and T-LL, and their associations with health markers.
Main Results:
- DXA-LL and T-LL measures were highly correlated (r=0.96, p<0.001), though DXA-LL estimates were slightly lower.
- Birth-reared adolescents exhibited longer DXA-LL compared to previously institutionalized adolescents, after controlling for age and sex.
- Longer DXA-LL was associated with lower glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and increased bone density, similar to T-LL findings.
Conclusions:
- DXA-derived leg length is an accurate and reliable measurement tool.
- DXA offers a valid method for assessing leg length and its relation to cardiometabolic health and bone density in adolescents.
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