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Bone density, calcium intake and vitamin D status in South Asian women living in Auckland, New Zealand
Author(s) -
VON HURST Pamela R.,
KRUGER Marlena C.,
STONEHOUSE Welma,
COAD Jane
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.479
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1747-0080
pISSN - 1446-6368
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-0080.2010.01447.x
Subject(s) - medicine , bone mineral , osteoporosis , overweight , incidence (geometry) , vitamin d and neurology , body mass index , menopause , bone density , densitometry , postmenopausal women , obesity , physiology , gynecology , optics , physics
Aim: To investigate the bone health and associated risk factors of a group of South Asian women living in New Zealand. Studies on the Indian subcontinent suggest a high incidence of low bone mineral density in women with poor vitamin D status and low dietary calcium intake. Methods: Subjects were women of South Asian origin (n = 91) living in Auckland, New Zealand. Subjects were stratified by menopausal status. They completed a 4‐day food diary, and provided a fasting blood sample. Bone mineral density was measured in the lumbar spine and proximal femur using dual X‐ray densitometry. Results: Mean age of premenopausal (n = 71) and postmenopausal (n = 20) women was 39.8 ± 7.8 and 55.3 ± 5.4 years, respectively. Osteoporosis ( T ‐score ≤−2.5) was present in 32% of postmenopausal and 3% of premenopausal subjects, but only in the lumbar spine. Adequate 25(OH)D levels (>50 nmol/L) were found in only 22% of premenopausal, and 26% of postmenopausal women. A body mass index in the overweight or obese category was found in 61% of premenopausal and 75% of postmenopausal women. Conclusion: The high incidence of osteoporosis in the postmenopausal group could be associated with the early age of oophorectomy or menopause together with low vitamin D status.