Assessments
Because this is a research study, the project involves completing specific assessment measures before and after treatment in order to evaluate exactly how effective the program is in changing diet and improving bone density. The parents complete a number of self-report assessments and the children participate in several physical assessment measures.
Primary Outcomes
Diet Diary for Calcium Intake
Before coming in for a visit, the parents record what the child eats for seven days. Once the diet diaries are collected from the families, they are sent to the GCRC dietitian who enters the days into a Nutrient Analysis program that provides information about the specific nutrient content of foods the child has eaten including the amount of calcium consumed each day.
DXA and pQCT
Using Dual-energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT), changes in bone mass are assessed. The DXA scan, a non-invasive procedure, requires the child to lie still for about 3 minutes while the table's arm moves over the child's body. This scan provides data on the child's bone mineral density for both the lumbar spine and total body.
The pQCT scan is different from DXA in that it provides a 3 dimensional image of the bone, thereby allowing us to examine bone volume. This scan is also non-invasive and requires the child to keep his or her leg still for about 5 minutes.
| DXA scan |
pQCT scan |
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The DXA provides a printout of the full body and the lumbar spine. The pQCT gives a 3 dimensional measurement of bone allowing for the measurement of bone size, dimensions and density, and separate measures for cortical and trabecular bone.
Height and Weight
Each child has their height and weight taken by a trained nurse. These are done in triplicate to ensure the consistency of the measurement.
| Weight |
Height |
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Biological Markers
Biological Markers of bone resorption and bone formation are also obtained at each follow-up visit.
