title: Vertebral and metacarpal morphometry as indicators of nutritional improvement.
abstract: Because of the importance of nutrition in the development of bone mass, we studied the nutritional state, and bone state by means of metacarpal radiogrammetric measurements and vertebral morphometry in a group of 40 premenopausal women born between 1960 and 1970, mean age 29 +/- 5 years, and in another group of 40 postmenopausal women born between 1934 and 1944, mean age 55 +/- 4 years. Both groups were considered normal, the main characteristic distinguishing them being that the women born between 1934 and 1944 grew up in a period of widespread malnutrition in Spain and the women born between 1960 and 1970 grew up in a period of normal nutrition. Protein, carbohydrate and fat intake in these two periods differed significantly (p < 0.0001 in the three cases by Fischer's exact test). The values of the metacarpal measurements, anterior height of the dorsal vertebrae from T-4 to T-12, and posterior height from L-1 to L-4 between the premenopausal and postmenopausal groups of women were significantly different (p < 0.001) (Anova test). These findings show the importance of nutrition in the development of bone mass during childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital, University of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Revilla
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fraile
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aguado
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Hermandez
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rico
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013030:Spain; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D010758:Phosphorus