Objectives: A community-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine theprevalence of osteoporosis and to evaluate the effects of body composition, health behaviors and reproductive history on bone density in postmenopausal women.
Methods: The study subjects were 362 postmenopausal women, aged 45 years old or over, who were invited to the hospital. Information on their socio-demographic characteristics and the potential risk factors such as their past medical history, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, diet and menstrual/reproductive histories were collected by trained interviewers. Weight, height, the body mass index (kg/m2), and body composition variables were measured. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
Results: The prevalence of osteoporosis was 30.6% in the 45-64 years old women, 52.5% in the elderly women aged 65-74, and 68.7% in the women aged 75 years or over. After adjustment for the effect of potential covariates, those women in the highest 25% (4th quartile) of the lean body mass are less likely to have osteoporosis (aOR=0.31, 95% CI=0.12-0.76), compared with the lowest quartile group. More parity also had significantly detrimental effects on osteoporosis.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women increased with age from 46.3% of those aged 45-64 to 68.7% for those aged 75 and over. Lean body mass and parity appeared significant contributor to bone mineral density in postmenopausal women in this population.