Objectives: Osteoporosis is a complicated disease/disorder/condition incurring high medical care expense and threatening both elderly health and their life quality. In this paper we examined the results of bone mineral density (BMD) testing among postmenopausal women in an effort to identify factors for predicting BMD. Methods: Women who had health check-ups at a teaching hospital in eastern Taiwan were invited to participate in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect their demographic characteristics, diet, lifestyles, and reproductive and medical history. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the posterior-anterior lumbar spine (L1-L4) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. A diagnosis of osteoporosis was made according to World Health Organization criteria. Women were categorized into ”middle age” (age<65 years) and ”elderly” (age≥65 years). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the significant factors predicting BMD in each group. Results: Data from 412 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 74 years, were included in this study. The mean BMD read 0.83 (±0.15) g/cm^2 while the average BMD of the ”elderly” group was significantly lower than that of the ”middle age” (0.77 g/cm^2 vs 0.85 g/cm^2). The proportion of osteoporosis (T-score ≦-2.5) was about 32.7% for ”middle age” and 52.0% for the ”elderly”. Current body weight and age were significant factors predicting BMD in both groups. Parity was also significant for middle age. For elderly, calcium supplement and estrogen supplement were additional factors predicating BMD. Conclusion: A substantive proportion of postmenopausal women have BMD at risk of fragile fracture. Old age and low body weight are significant factors indicating low BMD.
Objectives: Osteoporosis is a complicated disease/disorder/condition incurring high medical care expense and threatening both elderly health and their life quality. In this paper we examined the results of bone mineral density (BMD) testing among postmenopausal women in an effort to identify factors for predicting BMD. Methods: Women who had health check-ups at a teaching hospital in eastern Taiwan were invited to participate in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect their demographic characteristics, diet, lifestyles, and reproductive and medical history. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the posterior-anterior lumbar spine (L1-L4) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. A diagnosis of osteoporosis was made according to World Health Organization criteria. Women were categorized into ”middle age” (age<65 years) and ”elderly” (age≥65 years). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the significant factors predicting BMD in each group. Results: Data from 412 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 74 years, were included in this study. The mean BMD read 0.83 (±0.15) g/cm^2 while the average BMD of the ”elderly” group was significantly lower than that of the ”middle age” (0.77 g/cm^2 vs 0.85 g/cm^2). The proportion of osteoporosis (T-score ≦-2.5) was about 32.7% for ”middle age” and 52.0% for the ”elderly”. Current body weight and age were significant factors predicting BMD in both groups. Parity was also significant for middle age. For elderly, calcium supplement and estrogen supplement were additional factors predicating BMD. Conclusion: A substantive proportion of postmenopausal women have BMD at risk of fragile fracture. Old age and low body weight are significant factors indicating low BMD.