A study of bone mineral density and prevalence of osteoporosis in Chinese people of Han nationality from Changchun

Abstract

We investigated bone mineral density (BMD) and analyzed the changes in peak bone mass and BMD in Chinese Han population. The main results are as follows: (1) The peak BMD in males (0.625 ± 0.109) and females (0.506 ± 0.058) was observed at the age of 30-34 years; (2) osteoporosis prevalence was 7.7% vs. 6.97% in males and females aged 50-59 years; 18.13% vs. 35.97% in males and females aged 60-69 years; 36.41% vs. 59.55% in males and females aged 70-79 years; and 57.53% vs. 75.56% in males and females aged >80 years; (3) BMD differed significantly between genders, and among age groups studied; and (4) peak BMD of Han Chinese was greater than that of Japanese and Danish, as well as ethnicities in China. The reference data on BMD and osteoporosis among Chinese people are lacking. We, therefore, investigated the BMD and analyzed the changes in peak bone mass and BMD in Han population. BMD at the one third of distal radius and ulna of non-dominant forearm was measured by DTX-200 BMD detector in 16,019 Han individuals in Changchun divided into different groups based on age and gender. The mean BMD, T-score, and bone loss rate were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 statistical software. The peak BMD in males and females was 0.625 ± 0.109 and 0.506 ± 0.058, respectively, which was observed in the age group of 30-34 years. BMD decreased gradually after 40 years. The prevalence of osteoporosis was as follows: 7.7% in males and 6.97% in females in the age group of 50-59 years; 18.13% in males and 35.97% in females aged 60-69 years; 36.41% in males and 59.55% in females aged 70-79 years; and 57.53% in males and 75.56% in females aged over 80 years. There was a significant difference (P < 0.01) in BMD in different age groups and between genders within the same age group. In different age groups, the prevalence of osteoporosis was significantly higher in females than in males (P < 0.01). The peak BMD in this region was higher than that reported in Japan and Denmark, and was comparable to that in Beijing. Furthermore, differences were significant (P < 0.01) as Han population of Changchun was compared with Dai population of Xishuangbanna, Tibet, and Dongxiang population of Gansu province.