NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mirroring the results of research in
adults, a new study shows that white children are at a higher
risk of breaking a bone than children of other races. The
researchers say that genetics might have something to do with
the differences, but it's also possible that environmental
factors - such as participation in sports - could play a role.
Earlier studies have shown that white women are more likely to
suffer a fracture than black women (see Reuters Health report of
May 3, 2005). Tishya Wren, the lead author of the study and
professor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, said her study
stemmed from a larger research program looking at children's
bone health. The study included 1,470 girls and boys aged six to
17 years old, whose bone density and broken bones were tracked
for six years. "When I separated our data by race...we noticed
this very interesting relationship, which hasn't really been
recognized (in children) before," Wren said. She and her
colleagues found that 22 percent of