Bone Health-Related Nutritional Knowledge and its Association with Calcium-Related Dietary Behaviors and Nutrition Education of Women in their 20s and 30s

ABSTRACT

Osteoporosis is a major health problem confronting middle-aged women today. Enhancing calcium intake in early adulthood can increase the rate of calcium gain in bone. In this study, we investigated the association of bone health-related nutritional knowledge levels with calcium-related dietary behavior and nutrition education among women. Data were collected using questionnaires from 347 women aged 20∼30 residing in Gyeonggi-do. Subjects were categorized into two groups according to their bone health-related nutritional knowledge (high or low-knowledge group). Knowledge related to bone health and calcium, and dietary habits was assessed, and the preference for and intake frequency of calcium-rich food were collected and analyzed using food frequency questionnaires. The high-knowledge group showed a significantly higher rate of nutritional education experience (33.9%) when compared with the low-knowledge group (18.9%). Not only were the perceptions regarding milk and dairy products more positive in the high-knowledge group (P＜0.05), but the intake frequency of calcium-rich foods, such as tofu, soybean, and anchovies, was also higher in this group compared to the low-knowledge group (P＜0.05). Overall, the preference for all calcium-rich foods was positively correlated to their intake frequency (P＜0.05). Nutrition education experience and the recognition of the need for such education were positively correlated with the bone health-related nutrition knowledge score (P＜0.05). In conclusion, bone health-related nutritional knowledge can affect calcium-related dietary behavior and increase the intake of calcium-rich food of 20∼30-year-old women and this can contribute to the prevention of osteoporosis. To improve bone health-related nutritional knowledge among young women, it may be important to provide nutrition education.