Bone Mass, Body Mass Index, and Lifestyle Factors: A Case Study of Walailak University Staff

Abstract

To assess bone mineral density (BMD) and explore lifestyle factors affecting BMD in 310 staff of Walailak University aged 25 - 45 years (men = 23.23 % and women 76.77 %). BMD was evaluated by Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) analysis at the left distal-third radius. Anthropometric data including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumferences (WC) were measured, and lifestyle behaviors were also explored using the questionnaire. BMD status of both men and women showed similar results, 14.84 and 0.97 % of both genders were determined to have osteopenia and osteoporosis, respectively. Important data demonstrated the highest numbers of younger women aged 25 - 30 with osteopenia (30.61 %). Anthropometric results showed that 44.83 % of all subjects represented abnormal BMI (BMI < 18.5 and BMI ³ 23), and percentages of the men who had BMI more than 23 (51.39 %) were larger than those of the women (30.67 %). In contrast, only 26.45 % of both genders demonstrated abnormal WC, and the numbers for women were higher. Descriptive data of beverage consumption showed that most of men and women subjects had caffeine and carbonated beverage intakes less than 7 cups per week (73.61 and 87.82 %) and less than 3 cups per week (95.83 and 97.06 %) respectively, whereas only 9.72 and 26.89 % of men and women consumed more than 3 packs of milk per week. Results of lifestyle behaviors showed that almost all subjects preferred exercise, but only 47.22 and 31.09 % of men and women exercises 3 or more times per week. The multivariate analysis showed that BMD status is significantly associated with age group and BMI (OR = 3.30, CI, 1.086 – 6.3747 and OR = 0.43, CI, 0.2697 – 0.9805, respectively) after adjusting for age and gender. Normal BMI and older age group are the potential determinants, and other risk factors such as caffeine and carbonated beverages are sufficient concerns in adults.