Bone density for a single individual

[Mohd Abdullah]

Hey guys!

I find this link http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/6/1392/T3.expansion.html to be interesting and I doubt a little bit about the statement that said "Blacks have more bone density than Whites". It shows the measurements of bone densities of 67 Black and White cadavers. The measurements of bone density for a group of Black men are 1.25 ± 0.10 and 1.30 ± 0.12, so what is the measurement of bone density (BMD) for a single Black man? Is it just the same as the measurements for the group of Black men or slightly different?

 

[Bystander]

(BMD) for a single Black man?

Whatever it happens to be. Statistics for a group say nothing about a particular individual measurement beyond giving you a probability of finding a value for a measured variable that is in the range found for the group.

 

[Mohd Abdullah]

Whatever it happens to be. Statistics for a group say nothing about a particular individual measurement beyond giving you a probability of finding a value for a measured variable that is in the range found for the group.

So the bone density measurement for a single Black man could be less than 1.25 ± 0.10 and 1.30 ± 0.12 or more? Do anyone on this forum have measured or know the measurement of bone density of a single Black man?

 

[Bystander]

Could be less, could be more, correct.

You'll notice the subjects were deceased,

measurements of bone densities of 67 Black and White cadavers

meaning the specimens are part of an anthropological collection which may or may not have sufficient provenance to allow conclusions regarding diet and environment. For all anyone knows, we're looking at accumulations of lead paint from a century ago.

 

[Mohd Abdullah]

Could be less, could be more, correct.

But I think the bone density measurement of a single African man should be around the bone density measurement for the group of Black men, not exceeding the range of 1.30 ± 0.12 and not less than it, right? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You'll notice the subjects were deceased,


meaning the specimens are part of an anthropological collection which may or may not have sufficient provenance to allow conclusions regarding diet and environment. For all anyone knows, we're looking at accumulations of lead paint from a century ago.

Hmm so if I am not mistaken, this study can't be take 100% and it could be unreliable.

 

[Bystander]

1.30 ± 0.12 and

The table doesn't state a particular statistical treatment. We can assume the ± 0.12 as the sigma values for the distribution; confidence limits on medical or nutritional studies? I have no idea. Translation: ~ 70% of the sample group lies within ± 0.12 of 1.30.

If you are interested in bone mineral content and density, you will have to hunt down a lot more studies than just this one to develop any idea of whether there is any difference, let alone what it might be.

 

[Mohd Abdullah]

The table doesn't state a particular statistical treatment. We can assume the ± 0.12 as the sigma values for the distribution; confidence limits on medical or nutritional studies? I have no idea. Translation: ~ 70% of the sample group lies within ± 0.12 of 1.30.

That's why I also tend to confuse about this research. Maybe I should asked doctors on a medical science or health forum? Are there any doctors here? But I think the total body bone density of a single Black man should be around the range of 1.30 ± 0.12 I guess.

If you are interested in bone mineral content and density, you will have to hunt down a lot more studies than just this one to develop any idea of whether there is any difference, let alone what it might be.

The majority of other articles about racial bone density that I find on Google only provided total hip and femoral neck bone density, this is the only article (so far) that mention the total body bone density. But I still can't find the total body bone density of a single Black man, but I have find several total body bone mineral density measurements of a single White man and an Asian man.

 

[berkeman]

@Mohd Abdullah -- Can you say more about your interest in this? Are you writing a survey paper, or otherwise doing research into this subject?

Depending on the context of your questions, you may need to take other variables into account. For example, the bone density of an individual with osteoporosis will be quite different from the bone density of a healthy life-long athlete and weight lifter...

 

[Mohd Abdullah]

@Mohd Abdullah -- Can you say more about your interest in this? Are you writing a survey paper, or otherwise doing research into this subject?

Depending on the context of your questions, you may need to take other variables into account. For example, the bone density of an individual with osteoporosis will be quite different from the bone density of a healthy life-long athlete and weight lifter...

I am doing research about the variety of bone density among different ethnics. If you are googling on Google the statements that you will always find is "Blacks have more bone density than Whites", "Asians have the less dense bone", etc. but when I looking into some DXA scan results of some single White, Black and Asian individual, actually Whites can have denser bone than Blacks and vice versa, and last night I find someone pic on some forum showing his bone density at 1.400 g/cm2 or more and he is an Asian. Normally, the normal bone density usually measured at 1.200 g/cm2 or slightly more.

Btw, can we find the total body BMD (bone density) of a Black bodybuilder? The Black bodybuilder have a total BMC (bone mineral content) of 4149 g and he is 6 foot tall and weigh 251 pound.

 

[Bystander]

variety of bone density among different ethnics.

Looking at BMD as a function of ethnicity rather of lifestyle, diet/nutrition is probably a lost cause without samples from all ethnic groups from all lifestyles and all nutritional/diet histories.

 

[Mohd Abdullah]

Alright, I am confused because this man's pelvis area is only 271.07 cm2 while his head is 278.77. While it is clearly in the image that his pelvis is wider than his head but have comparable height. Can anyone explain this?