Calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D in postmenopausal osteoporosis

Includes bibliographical references (pages 39-47)Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease. It\ud is characterized by a reduction in the density of bone and\ud a high incidence of bone fractures. Osteoporosis commonly\ud occurs in postmenopausal women. Deficient levels of\ud calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D have been associated with\ud the risk of osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to\ud determine the association between the development of\ud osteoporosis as evidenced by bone fractures in postmenopausal\ud women and the dietary intake of calcium,\ud phosphorus and vitamin D.\ud Ten postmenopausal women with bone fractures\ud participated in this study. A questionnaire and food\ud consumption list were developed to collect demographic and\ud dietary information. Results were analyzed by frequencies,\ud percentages and chi square at the .05 level of significance.\ud All subjects were caucasian and between the age of 48 and\ud 88 years. A significant proportion of the sample's mean\ud dietary intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D did not\ud adequately meet the RDA. The findings of this study\ud indicate that postmenopausal women with bone fractures may\ud have a dietary deficiency of calcium, phosphorus and\ud vitamin D that is of pathogenic importance