Bone mineral density in infant and young child aged 6 to 36 months: a retrospective study in main urban areas of Chongqing, China

Abstract

Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) in infant and young child is the focus of child care physicians in the process of development during childhood. The study aimed at investigating the BMD of full-term, singleton infant and young child aged 6 to36 months of Chongqing’s main urban areas. Methods: Quantitative ultrasound was used to detect the BMD of the middle tibia of 8354 term infants (3919 boys and 4435 girls) aged 6 to 36 months in the urban area of Chongqing, and the BMD levels of infant and young child of different sexes, ages, weight-for-height and birth weight was compared. Results: The overall insufficient BMD detection rate was 14.39% in all children. The prevalence of insufficient BMD in boys was lower than that in girls (P < 0.001). And detection rate of BMD deficiency in infant and young child aged 6 to11months, 12 to17 months, 18 to 23 months, 24 to 29 months and 30 to 36 months were 32.6%, 10.6%, 7.5%, 7.0% and 5.8%, respectively, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in BMD among infant and young child with different weight for length (P < 0.001). And the BMD was not associated with the birth weight of the child (P = 0.952). Conclusions: Medical staff should regularly follow up children according to the characteristics of insufficient BMD, understand the deposition of bone calcium in infants and young children, so as to achieve early detection and early intervention.