Study of whole-body bone mineral density measurement in 6 to 19 year-old students in Beijing / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the changes of bone mineral density (BMD) in young boys and girls from 6-19 years old in Beijing area. Methods 1 139 healthy young boys and girls undergoing whole body scanning with dual energy X-ray bone densitometer were divided into different groups according to sex and age. Results There were no significant difference in body height, weight, BMD and bone mineral contents (BMC) between boys and girls from 6 to 10 years old. The annual growth rates of body height, BMD, and BMC were the fastest in girls from 6 to 14 and boys from 6 to 16 years old, respectively. Thereafter, the annual growth rates of body height, BMD, and BMC didn't significantly increase in boys and girls. There were two fast-growth periods in BMD growth stage, being at 11 and 14 years old in girls, and at 12 and 15 years old in boys. The total body BMD was significantly correlated with the height in girls under 12 years (P