Reference values for areal bone mineral density among a healthy Mexican population.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the influence of ethnicity in the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in various Mexican populations using two normal dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) reference databases: manufacturer's incorporating US Hispanic population and a normal mestizo Mexican population.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: MMP included 9 946 subjects participating in an ongoing long-term cohort study focusing on lifestyle and chronic diseases, of which 6 487 MMP males and females aged 7 to 80 years were the normal subjects used to determine bone density T- and Z-scores, following WHO criteria, and peak bone mass values. Abnormal bone mass density values estimated by the manufacturer's and peak bone mass reference values were compared. RESULTS AND
CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that by using the manufacturer's T-score values in the mestizo Mexican population we are underestimating the number of abnormal bone mass BMD populations.