Nutrient intake risk factors of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

This study was conducted to assess the association between dietary nutrient intake and osteoporosis risk in post-menopausal women. Bone mineral density was measured at the lumbar spine by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and a structured questionnaire was administered by a trained interviewer, which included information on sociodemographics, medical and reproductive history, and dietary intake. The study sample included 134 osteoporotic and 137 non-osteoporotic subjects between the ages of 52 and 68. Nutrient variables were classified into tertiles. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated which compared the highest tertile with the lowest tertile as a reference group. Odds ratios for osteoporosis were 1.47 (95% CI: 1.03-2.05) for total protein, 1.62 (95% CI: 0.51-3.92) for animal protein, and 2.98 (95% CI: 1.42-4.23) for sodium. Odds ratios for osteoporosis in the highest tertile were: 0.42 (95% CI: 0.23-0.83) for vegetable protein, 0.72 (95% CI: 0.51-0.90) for Ca, and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.49-0.88) for Fe, relative to the respective lowest tertile. These findings suggest that adequate nutrient intake may be important for prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.