ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Even if the effect of regular exercise on the prevention against osteoporosis has been confirmed by many researchers, the research which evaluates the effect of regular exercises by adjusting the differences between climacteric women with respect to the status of menopause, and other health behaviors, has been few. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of osteoporosis and its relation to regular exercise. METHODS: We studied 222 climacteric women aged 40~59 years who visited the health care centers run by Chunchon branch of Korean Association of Health for preventive health examination at 2002/3~2002/11. The study subjects were asked to self-administer to the questionnaire including the items for the evaluation of the status of regular exercise and other characteristics of health behaviors and nutritional intakes. Bone mineral density was measured in L1-4 using dual-energy X ray absorption device. RESULTS: Among the total 222 subjects, 52 women (23%) have been exercising regularly, among whom 22 subjects (42%) were in the phase of menopause. Exercise group had higher levels of intake of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B1, niacin, and vitamin C than non-exercise group. In multiple logistic regression analysis, aged 50 years (OR: 5.87, 95% CI: 2.26~15.23), menopause (OR: 2.65, 95%CI: 1.03~6.82), body mass index over 25 (OR: 0.24, 95%CI: 0.10~0.59) were significant. There was no significant difference for the bone mineral density between exercise and non-exercise groups. T score seemed to be slightly higher in the regular exercise group (-1.88 vs -1.79) compared with non-exercise group, but the difference was not significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Age, menopause, low body mass index are risk factor of osteoporosis. Postmenopausal women who do not exercise showed a tendency of decreased bone mass density and increased frequency of osteoporosis. Further study is needed to prove the relation of regular exercise to bone mass density in Korean climacteric women.