Quantitative Analysis of Cortical and Trabecular Bone in Three Human Populations

Bone mass is known to vary as a result of age, sex, behavior, and diet; however, little is known about the differences between populations. This study’s objective is to analyze cortical and trabecular bone structure in the proximal femur and to examine differences related to ethnicity and behavior. MicroCT scans were used to collect data from two Native American populations, the forager Black Earth and the agricultural Norris Farms, and an African agricultural population, the Kerma. Femoral neck cortical bone and 3D femoral head trabecular bone were examined quantitatively. Results show that the foragers have significantly more robust cortical and trabecular bone than the agriculturalists. These data support previous claims that a more sedentary lifestyle increases cortical and trabecular bone fragility, suggesting that susceptibility to osteoporosis is more prevalent now than it was then. Future research could be done to better understand the factors contributing to the variation across populations.