Epidemiology of osteoporosis and its determinants in physically active Majorcan elderly

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and distribution of determinants of osteoporosis (OP) in a population of physically active Majorcans over 60. METHODS: Health survey in which consecutive women and men above 60 years old visiting sports facilities during a two-month period were recruited. All underwent a densitometry of the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). Osteoporosis was defined according to the World Health Organization densitometric criteria (T-score <2.5 SD in the LS or FN, and osteopenia if the result was between −2.5 and −1 SD). As osteoporosis shows substantial differences between genders, the study of its determinants was conducted independently for men and women. RESULTS: The sample included 731 subjects (86% female), with an average age of 70 (SD 5) among men and 65 (8) among women. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis was 35.7% in the LS, 8.9% in the FN and 39.4% in the LS and/or FN. The analysis by gender showed a higher prevalence of osteoporosis in women than in men (43.8 % vs. 11.1%). The presence of osteoporosis increased with age in men and women (7.8% for 61–75 years old vs 22.7% > 75 years old for men and 48.5% for 61–75 years old vs 62.7% > 75 for women). CONCLUSIONS: Densitometric osteoporosis is frequent among physically active elderly population, and higher than expected in a largely sunlight-exposed area.