Estimating Body Mass through Bone Mineral Density Studies Using Dexa (Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry)

Identification of a decedent is one of the primary goals of forensic anthropologists. In order to do this, one must build a biological profile based on the remains that are provided. Sex, age, ancestry, and stature are four of the most common, however a fifth addition piece of information that could be beneficial is body mass. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and body mass, using data collected from dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans of 107 collegiate football athletes. Athletes are a good fit for this study because they have achieved or almost achieved their peak bone mass by this age, and the weight fluctuations that occur throughout an individual’s lifetime have yet to occur. The bone mineral density values were analyzed by individual body sections (arms, legs, and pelvis) as well as the total body. The analysis calculated correlations between the different BMD sections and variables such as height, weight, and ancestral background. The results show that there is not a strong relationship between BMD and body mass of young, male, collegiate football players. In European Americans, the sample had a higher correlation of arm BMD to body weight than leg BMD. In contrast in the African American sample they had a higher correlation of leg BMD to body weight. The findings of this study are similar to others using DEXA and other body mass measures in that the estimations are not sufficiently reliable for forensic purposes