Epidemiology and prevention of osteoporosis in urbanized Asian populations

The incidence rate of hip fracture in Hong Kong in 1989 was calculated from hospital admission data and the census population. The incidence rate has increased 3-fold since 1966 to reach 9 per 1000 in men and 13 per 1000 in women 80 years and over. The age-adjusted rate was comparable to that in Singapore but higher than that in Japan. A case-control study was conducted on 280 women and 120 men with hip fracture and 800 controls. The relative risk for hip fracture increased with a low calcium intake, being 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.9 to 4.6) in the lowest quartile. The relative risk for hip fracture was also significantly increased in subjects who did not perform load-bearing activity every day. Osteoporosis may be prevented by an adequate calcium intake and load-bearing activity in urbanized Asian populations.