An evaluation of bone density screening in premenopausal women

骨质疏松引起的骨折是一个重大的公共卫生问题。骨密度是这些骨质疏松性骨折的主要预测因素之一，是早期骨质增加（即峰值骨量）和随后骨质流失的结果。吸烟、缺乏运动和钙摄入不足被广泛认为是骨质疏松症（以及其他常见疾病）的危险因素。尽管这方面的信息已广泛提供并得到积极宣传，但这些危险因素在人口中的普遍程度仍然高得令人无法接受，这表明仅靠公共卫生一级的教育不足以改变这些行为。在参加儿童骨量决定因素研究的女性（平均年龄33岁）中，我们最近报道了在12个月的随访中，当女性收到信息传单和个性化骨密度信息时，这些行为发生了实质性变化。这些女性都是经过精心挑选的，目前尚不清楚这种反应是否代表了所有女性。因此，本研究的目的是在霍巴特市区随机抽取400名年龄在25-44岁之间的女性作为样本，检验两年内不同类型的教育计划和低初始骨量对生活方式改变和骨密度变化的影响。这项研究将导致准确的信息，如何最好地针对骨质疏松症预防计划在年轻群体。此外，由于心血管疾病和其他疾病的危险因素往往与骨质疏松症的危险因素相似，它很可能为预防这些疾病提供见解，因此在减少社区疾病方面具有更大的潜力。

Fractures due to osteoporosis are a major public health problem. Bone density is one of the major predictors of these osteoporotic fractures and is the result of the amount of bone gained in early life (i.e peak bone mass) and subsequent bone loss. Cigarette smoking, physical inactivity and inadequate calcium intake are widely regarded as risk factors for osteoporosis (as well as for other common diseases). Despite this information being widely available and actively promoted, the prevalence of these risk factors in the population remains unacceptably high suggesting that education alone at the public health level is not sufficient to modify these behaviours. In women (mean age 33) taking part in a study of the determinants of bone mass in children, we recently reported substantial change in these behaviours at 12 months follow-up when women received an information leaflet and individualised bone density information. These women were highly selected and it is unclear if this response is representative of all women. The aims of this study are, therefore, to test hypotheses in a random electoral roll sample of 400 women aged 25-44 from metropolitan Hobart relating to the effect of different types of educational programs and low initial bone mass on both lifestyle changes and changes in bone density over two years. This study will lead to accurate information about how best to target osteoporosis prevention programs in the younger age groups. Furthermore, as risk factors for cardiovascular and other diseases are often similar to those for osteoporosis, it is likely to provide insights into the prevention of these diseases and, as a result, have much greater potential for decreasing disease in the community.