ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis and to identify the related factors of bone mineral density (BMD) in rural postmenopausal women. METHODS: Three hundred ninety postmenopausal women in a rural area were examined in 1999 Their BMDs of the lumbar spine (L1-L3) were measured by a quantitative computerized tomography (QCT) and their height and weight were measured. A questionnaires interviewing method was used to collect risk factor data. PESULTS: The prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women of 40-69 years old was 89.2% by reference value of UCSF(University of California, Sanfrancisco), however, changed to 63.1% by that of Korean. From simple analyses, age(p<0.01), duration after menopause (p<0.01), menstrual regularity(p<0.05), delivery frequencies (p<0.01), breast feeding years (p<0.01), alcohol intake(p<0.01), and smoking(p<0.05) were significant risk factors relating to BMD. In multiple linear regression analysis, duration after menopause(p<0.01), menstrual regularity(p<0.05), and breast feeding years (p<0.05) proved to be significant risk factors. However dietary factors and life style were not significantly associated with BMD. CONCLUSIONS: The significant risk factors of postmenopausal women in a rural area relating to BMD were duration after menopause, menstrual regularity, and breast feeding duration.