Bone Health after Fifth Decade in Rural Ambulatory South Indian Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND: The incidence of postmenopausal osteoporosis continues to rise, as population ages. The morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporotic fractures have a significant negative impact on the economy and quality of life of the affected individual and the community, at large. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the prevalence of osteoporosis in ambulant rural postmenopausal women, and to look at their dietary calcium intake (DCI) and Vitamin D status. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 1565 ambulant South Indian rural postmenopausal women. Bone mineral density was estimated by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan at the femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS). DCI was calculated by recall for the previous week, and the blood bone biochemical profile was measured. RESULTS: The mean standard deviation (SD) age and body mass index of this population were 60.7 (7.2) years and 26.2 (4.8) kg/m(2), respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 22% at the FN and 39% at the LS. An increase in the prevalence of osteoporosis was noted at both sites, in successive age categories. Mean (SD) DCI was 420 (282) mg/24 h. Fifty-four percent had Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) (<20 ng/ml) and 6% had severe VDD (<10 ng/ml). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of this large cohort of south Indian healthy rural postmenopausal women had osteoporosis at either site with advancing age. Most of them had a suboptimal DCI, and over half of them had VDD.