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Bone histology of prehistoric inhabitants of the Canary Islands: Comparison between El Hierro and Gran Canaria

✍ Scribed by Velasco-V�zquez, J.; Gonz�lez-Reimers, E.; Arnay-De-La-Rosa, M.; Barros-L�pez, N.; Mart�n-Rodr�guez, E.; Santolaria-Fern�ndez, F.


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
1999
Tongue
English
Weight
364 KB
Volume
110
Category
Article
ISSN
0002-9483

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✦ Synopsis


The trabecular bone mass (TBM) of the proximal epiphyses of right tibiae belonging to 273 prehispanic inhabitants of Gran Canaria (60.81% males and 35.53% females) were assessed by histomorphometrical analysis of undecalcified samples and compared with that of 41 samples from El Hierro (52.63% males and 47.37% females). Among the prehispanic population of Gran Canaria 19.05% showed TBM values below 13.5% and 30.40% below 15%, although individual variability was high (range 6.71-35.4%). In sharp contrast with these results, only one case (2.44%) from El Hierro showed a TBM value below 15%, whereas mean TBM (23.50 ;Ϯ 5.60%) was significantly higher than that of the population of Gran Canaria (17.88 Ϯ 5.20%). The high prevalence of osteoporosis on Gran Canaria may reflect protein-calorie malnutrition. Prehistorically Gran Canaria exhibited a relatively high population density (30-40/km 2 ) and a strong reliance on agriculture, in contrast with a lower population density (4/km 2 ) on the island El Hierro, where the population consumed mainly marine products.