[The relationship between body composition and bone mineral density in college women]

To investigate body compositons and bone mineral density(BMD) in college women and to find the relationship between them.

From January to March of 2001, BMD at four parts(forearm, lumbar, femur and whole body), body mass index(BMI), body fat mass(BFM), lean body mass(LBM) and body fat percentage(%Fat) were measured with the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Other physical characteristics were measured with a scale, a height measurer, and questionnaires.

Grouping by the BMI, 43.2% showed low weight, and 5% over weight. When applying the percent Fat, 43.8 % was diagnosed as obesity group. The fact indicate that a majority of college women have unbalanced body composition with high percent Fat, compared to their body weight. Assessing the BMD with the WHO standards, 91.4-95.7% of the BMD of forearm and whole body was normal. But, 40.3% and 33.1-43.9% showed osteopenia at lumbar and femur, and 1.4 %, 0.7-7.2% showed osteoporosis. The BMD at all parts showed significant correlation each other(r=.29-.89, p=.001-.000). Body weight and BMI showed correlations to with BMDs at all parts of the body(r=.19-.46, p=.025-.000; r=.18-.45, p=.039-.000). But the percent Fat had a correlation with only femur neck BMD(r=.19, p=.024).

This study showed a majority of healthy college women were exposed to the risk for osteoporosis. Additional study is required to develop nursing interventions to remove the risk factors of osteoporosis. In particular, the acquisition of balanced body composition is necessary, increasing body weight and BMI through the increase of LBM, not through the quantitative increase of BFM.