BONE-MINERAL DENSITY OF THE SPINE AND FEMUR IN THE NORMAL SAUDI POPULATION

Objective: To establish the normative data for bone mineral density in the Saudi population. Design: Cross-sectional study of normal Saudi volunteers. Setting: Measurements were performed in one centre using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DPX, Lunar Radiation Corp., Wisconsin). Subjects: Measurements of the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and three femoral sites were performed in 249 normal saudi females and 162 normal Saudi males, 10-80 years of age. Main Outcome Measures and Results: During the growth period, there was 10% annual gain in bone mineral density for the lumbar spine and 6% for the femoral neck. The peak bone density was reached by the fourth decade in the females and in the third decade in males. The bone mineral density in young Saudi females was 5% less than that of the White American females. Conclusion: Bone mineral density in the Saudi population is low and further studies are encouraged in relation to lifestyle, physical activity, diet, exposure to sun and geographical location.