Comparative skeletal mass and radial bone mineral content in black and white women
The age-related changes in both skeletal mass and muscle mass were directly measured in normal black women ages 30 to 80 yr. The levels of total-body calcium (TBCa) were determined with the use of in vivo neutron activation. The muscle mass was measured by whole-body counting of /sup 40/K. In the same population, the bone mineral content of the radius was measured using a photon absorptiometric technique. Although there was no significant difference in stature, black women had a greater skeletal mass and bone mineral content of the radius than age-matched white female subjects. When the TBCa values were normalized for body size (i.e., corrected for height and lean body mass), the TBCa was still higher for the black women but not as high as the absolute TBCa values. Clearly, it is the larger muscle mass (as reflected by the /sup 40/K measure) in relation to weight and height that accounts for this difference. The lower prevalence of fracture and osteoporosis observed in black women relative to white women is due in part to this greater quantity of skeleton. American black women with a higher bone density (i.e., skeletal mass) maintain mechanical integrity of the skeleton longer than individuals with a lower bone density. It is suggested that the larger muscle mass in black women is, in part, a determinant of their increased skeletal mass and is partly responsible for their apparent resistance to osteoporosis and fracture of the skeleton.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 6355332
- Journal Information:
- Metabolism; (United States), Journal Name: Metabolism; (United States) Vol. 26:2; ISSN MTBMA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ABSORPTIVITY
ADULTS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
BONE TISSUES
CALCIUM
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FEMALES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAMMALS
MAN
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MINERALS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANS
OSTEOPOROSIS
PHOTONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POTASSIUM 40
POTASSIUM ISOTOPES
PRIMATES
RADIOISOTOPES
SKELETAL DISEASES
SKELETON
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
WEIGHT
WOMEN
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES