Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1994 Nov;70(829):798–800. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.70.829.798

Osteoporosis and genetic influence: a three-generation study.

S A Kahn 1, J E Pace 1, M L Cox 1, D W Gau 1, S A Cox 1, H M Hodkinson 1
PMCID: PMC2397815  PMID: 7824412

Abstract

We have studied 27 triads of mother, daughter and grandmother for possible genetic influence on distal and proximal forearm bone density, measured by single photon absorptiometry. We found a significant correlation of bone density at the proximal forearm between the mothers and grandmothers (r = 0.499, P < 0.01). There was also a weak correlation between proximal forearm bone densities of mothers and daughters (r = 0.327, P < 0.1). Significant correlations were found between the three generations for grip strength, pedometry, height and triceps skinfold thickness. There was also significant correlation between mother and grandmother for alcohol intake. There was no correlation for contraceptive pill use, smoking, dietary calcium intake, body weight or body mass index. The study concludes that, although there are similarities in bone mineral content between the three generations, genetic factors cannot be conclusively proven to be the major determinant of bone density. Lifestyle and environmental factors may have a bearing on achieving the peak bone mass and subsequent development of osteoporosis.

Full text

PDF
798

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cohn S. H., Abesamis C., Yasumura S., Aloia J. F., Zanzi I., Ellis K. J. Comparative skeletal mass and radial bone mineral content in black and white women. Metabolism. 1977 Feb;26(2):171–178. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(77)90052-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cox M. L., Khan S. A., Gau D. W., Cox S. A., Hodkinson H. M. Determinants of forearm bone density in premenopausal women: a study in one general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 1991 May;41(346):194–196. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dequeker J., Nijs J., Verstraeten A., Geusens P., Gevers G. Genetic determinants of bone mineral content at the spine and radius: a twin study. Bone. 1987;8(4):207–209. doi: 10.1016/8756-3282(87)90166-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Evans R. A., Marel G. M., Lancaster E. K., Kos S., Evans M., Wong S. Y. Bone mass is low in relatives of osteoporotic patients. Ann Intern Med. 1988 Dec 1;109(11):870–873. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-109-11-870. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Lutz J. Bone mineral, serum calcium, and dietary intakes of mother/daughter pairs. Am J Clin Nutr. 1986 Jul;44(1):99–106. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/44.1.99. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Nordin B. E. International patterns of osteoporosis. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1966 Mar-Apr;45:17–30. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Pocock N. A., Eisman J. A., Hopper J. L., Yeates M. G., Sambrook P. N., Eberl S. Genetic determinants of bone mass in adults. A twin study. J Clin Invest. 1987 Sep;80(3):706–710. doi: 10.1172/JCI113125. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Riggs B. L., Melton L. J., 3rd Involutional osteoporosis. N Engl J Med. 1986 Jun 26;314(26):1676–1686. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198606263142605. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Smith D. M., Nance W. E., Kang K. W., Christian J. C., Johnston C. C., Jr Genetic factors in determining bone mass. J Clin Invest. 1973 Nov;52(11):2800–2808. doi: 10.1172/JCI107476. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Sowers M. R., Burns T. L., Wallace R. B. Familial resemblance of bone mass in adult women. Genet Epidemiol. 1986;3(2):85–93. doi: 10.1002/gepi.1370030204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES