女子大学生における骨量上昇のための健康教育 : 無作為割付比較交叉試験

The purpose of this study was to improve the eating and exercise habits as well as the bone mass of female university students through health education. The study was conducted over a period of 1 year from June 2001 to July 2002 by randomized controlled cross-over trial. Twenty-four female university students were randomly divided into two groups. One group received health education for the first six-month period (the first group), while the other group received health education for the second six-month period (the second group). During the education period, the study participants kept a record of diet and number of steps. Bone mass was measured by ultrasound bone-densitometer on calcaneus three times: before study commencement, at 6 months into the study and at the end of the study period (1 year). At 6 months, bone mass in the first group had increased by 3.6%, while that in the second group had increased by 2.5%. At the end of the study period, bone mass in the first group had decreased by 3.2%, while that in the second group had decreased by 0.4%, from the values observed at 6 months. These data suggest that continued health education results in increased bone mass