J Clin Densitom. 2026 Feb 17;29(2):101684. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2026.101684. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Leg length has been found to be a predictor of the risk cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease and type 2 diabetes. Traditional measures of leg-length are conducted by subtracting seated leg length from standing height. We examined whether dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) may provide another accurate method to determine leg length. The data were obtained from a study of adolescents. The aims were to examine the relationship between DXA-derived leg length (DXA-LL) and traditionally derived leg length (T-LL) and determine whether the two types of measures yielded similar associations with measures of cardiometabolic health and bone density.
METHODS: 140 adolescents either conceived and reared in their birth families in the United States (BR birth reared, n = 74, 39 female) or internationally adopted prior to age 5 from orphanage-like institutions (PI previously institutionalized, n = 66, 44 female) had their leg length measured using traditional methods and then using whole body DXA scan. DXA-LL was determined using custom regions of interest.
RESULTS: DXA-LL and T-LL measures were nearly perfectly correlated (r (138) =0.96, p < 0.001). However, DXA-LL estimates were less than T-LL estimates (77.75±6.04 vs 78.96±6.00 cm, p < 0.001). The BR group had longer DXA-LL than the PI group (80.67 cm, 74.84 cm) after controlling for age and sex. Controlling for age and sex, longer leg length using DXA-LL was associated with lower glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL, and denser bone density. Similar results were obtained with T-LL.
CONCLUSION: DXA-LL is an accurate and reliable leg length measurement tool.
PMID:41771211 | DOI:10.1016/j.jocd.2026.101684