LIFE-STYLE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND MEDICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING PEAK BONE MASS IN WOMEN

The aim of this study was to assess which life-style factors were asso ciated with peak bone mass. One-thousand-two-hundred-and-twenty-seven pre-menopausal women aged between 45 and 49 yr had their bone density measured at the hip and spine. In addition, these women were given a p ostal questionnaire asking about life-style factors that may be associ ated with bone mineral density (BMD). Using stepwise multiple linear r egression analysis we found that life-style or environmental factors e xplained a small but significant proportion of the variation in BMD. S tatistically significant associations between anthropometric measures, exercise levels, fracture history and BMD were found. We also observe d a positive association between self-reported numbers of miscarriages and BMD. This work supports the conclusions of smaller studies that r isk factor analysis explains only a small amount of the variance in BM D.