PURPOSE: to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for osteoporosis among women older than 49 years in a private practice environment. METHODS: a cross-sectional study assessing 999 bone densitometry results examined at private laboratories in São Paulo, between 03/01/1998 and 06/01/1998. A questionnaire addressing socio-demographic, reproductive and lifestyle-related risk factors was employed previously to bone mineral density measurements. The independent variables were age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), age at menarche, time elapsed since menopause (TESM), use and length of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), lifestyle habits (smoking, exercising, coffee consumption) and history of previous fracture. Univariated analysis employed the x2 test and linear trend x2 test. Multivariate analyses were performed with logistic regression. A p value of < 0.05 was adopted. RESULTS: the mean age of studied women was 61.6 (SD=8.5). The mean time elapsed since menopause was 13.2 years (SD= 8.6). Osteoporosis prevalence was 32.7%. The following variables were associated to osteoporosis: age (61/70 and 71/96 years), TESM (6/10 and 11/49 years), ethnicity (Caucasian or yellow), late menarche (13/15 and 16/21 years). The greater BMI, the lower the risk of osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: reproductive and anthropometric variables are more important than lifestyle-related risk factors for osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis; Menopause; Bone density; Mass screening; Risk factors
