Risk Factors Associated with Low Bone Mineral Density and Hip Fracture Among United States 20-90 Years of Age (NHANES III Study)

Nandi, Shubhra. Risk Factors Associated with Low Bone Mineral Diversity and Hip Fracture Among United States Females 20-29 Years of Age. (NHANES III Study). Master of Public Health, June 1999, 45p.p. Osteoporosis has become a great public health problem because of the growing segment of the elderly population. The manifestation of osteoporosis results in morbidity with disability and a diminished quality of life due to hip fracture and spine fracture. This is also the major cause of hospital expenditure. Thus, understanding the development of low bone mineral density at various skeletal sites and the prevention of the causes related to the diminished bone mineral density is of great importance. This is a descriptive study of risk factors associated with low bone mineral density and hip fracture among United States females 20-90 years of age. Data was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics from 1988-1994 in two phases. Several risk factors have been associated with low bone mineral density. They are age, race, body mass index, fat-free mass, smoking, alcohol intake, caffeine intake, calcium supplement intake, dairy intake, and the level of physical activity. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship of low bone mineral density in a specific race-ethnic population with the perceived risk factors. This cross-sectional study provides information to confirm that Non-Hispanic Whites have low bone mineral density at the end of their decade of life compared to Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanic Americans. A significant association between low bone mineral density and age, race ethnicity, body mass index, and milk intake was detected (P [less than] 0.05). Other factors did not display any statistically significant correlation.