title: Bone mineral density of recent African immigrants in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racial/ethnic difference in bone mineral density (BMD) exists. The underlying mechanism is unclear and needs investigation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine BMD and its relation to environmental exposure in recent African immigrants.
  
  
  METHODS
  BMD in recent sub-Saharan Sudanese immigrants (55 men and 88 premenopausal women) in the United States was measured. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was performed, with total body, spine and hip BMD as dependent variables; and sex, age, body weight, the length of stay in the United States, and milk intake as independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMD Z score in the spine but not total body or hip in the Sudanese immigrants was significantly lower compared with the normative values of African Americans and Caucasians. Total body and hip BMD was positively correlated (p < 0.015) with their length of stay in the United States. Hip BMD was significantly correlated with milk intake (p < 0.02) and marginally (p = 0.052) with their length of stay in the United States, independent of body weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal BMD was significantly lower in recent Sudanese immigrants than in African Americans or Caucasians. Their hip and total body BMD was associated with their length of stay in the United States, suggesting a potential environmental factors in the ethnic diversity of BMD.
authors.affiliation: West Texas EXPORT Center, Office of Rural and Community Health, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Box 45013 STOP 5013, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA. gordon.gong@ttuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Gleb
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haynatzki
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haynatzka
authors.forename: Sade
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kosoko-Lasaki
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Yun-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: M Roy
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015519:Bone Density; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009329:Nebraska / Q000453:epidemiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data