Risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis: anthropometric measurements, age, age at menopause and the time elapsed after menopause onset.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine, how much the anthropometric measurements and age affect the femur and vertebra T-scores by using correlation and regression analysis in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

Data of 540 healthy postmenopausal women were included in this analysis. Bone mineral density was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The data of the patients related to height, weight, age, age at menopause were obtained from records, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated (BMI = W (kg)/H(m(2))). Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 15.0 for Windows (SPSS, Chicago, IL).

RESULTS

Mean age and standard deviation of 540 postmenopausal women was 59.3 +/- 8.4 years. The correlation coefficients among femur, vertebra T-scores, weight, the time elapsed after the menopause onset, age, BMI and height were found as follows, from higher to lower values with 0.465, 0.453, 0.411, 0.382, 0.232, respectively, and were statistically significant (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We determined the effects of the anthropometric measurements on osteoporosis from higher to lower influence as follows: weight, menopause age, age, BMI and height. Weight and menopause age of the patients were the major determinants for osteoporosis.