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Updated: Jul 26, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Cortical bone mass in Nigerian children: an anthropometric assessment
1Department of Radiology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria.
Insights
Cortical bone development in Nigerian children shows a plateau by age 15. Notably, females aged 9-15 exhibit higher cortical width than males, differing from established norms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Bone Health
- Anthropometry
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Cortical bone mass is crucial for skeletal strength and integrity.
- Understanding age- and sex-specific bone development is vital for identifying potential health disparities.
- Previous studies on bone mass development have primarily focused on Western populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify cortical bone mass in Nigerian children.
- To investigate age- and sex-specific patterns of bone development in this population.
- To compare findings with established bone mass values from other ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cross-sectional and longitudinal study involving 1278 Nigerian children (aged 3-16 years).
- Measurement of total bone width (T) and medullary cavity width (M) at the second metacarpal midshaft.
- Calculation of cortical width (C), cortical area (CA), and percent cortical area (PCA) using Garn's method.
Main Results:
- Total bone width (T), cortical width (C), cortical area (CA), and percent cortical area (PCA) showed progressive increases, plateauing around age 15.
- Males consistently had higher total bone width (T) and medullary width (M) than females across all ages.
- Between ages 9 and 15, females exhibited significantly higher cortical width (C) than males, a deviation from American norms.
Conclusions:
- Nigerian children's cortical bone mass development follows a pattern of increase and plateau by adolescence.
- The observed sex difference in cortical width during mid-adolescence warrants further investigation into compensatory mechanisms.
- These findings highlight the need for population-specific reference data for pediatric bone health assessment.
Abstract:
Cortical bone mass was quantified in 1278 Nigerian children (695 males and 583 females) aged 3-16 years in a prospectively designed cross-sectional and longitudinal study. The total bone width (T) and medullary cavity width (M) were measured at the midshaft of the second metacarpal bone using a direct reading caliper. From the above measurements the cortical width (C), cortical area (CA), and percent cortical area (PCA) were calculated using the method of Garn et al. and showed a progressive increase of T, C, CA and PCA, reaching a plateau at 15 years. At all ages, the values for both T and M are higher in males than in females. On the other hand, and contrary to established normal values amongst both white and black Americans, between the ages of 9 and 15 the female values for C are higher than those for males. This difference is greatest at the age of 12 years (p < 0.001). The implication of this finding may be that during these years, African male children do not compensate for the increased endosteal resorption with a greater total cortical width (T), since the medullary width in females remains relatively constant over the years.
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