DETERMINANTS OF BONE MASS IN CHINESE WOMEN AGED 21-40 YEARS .2. PATTERN OF DIETARY CALCIUM INTAKE AND ASSOCIATION WITH BONE-MINERAL DENSITY

A study on the determinants of bone mass in young women is being carri ed out among 287 young Chinese women aged 21-40 years. The baseline cr oss-sectional data show that the mean dietary calcium intake, estimate d from the quantitative food frequency method, was 448 mg/day (standar d deviation = 219). About 50% of the calcium source was from vegetable s and 22% from dairy products. Among women aged 21-30 years, those wit h a dietary calcium intake of at least 600 mg/day had a 4%-7% higher m ean bone mineral density at the spine and femur when compared with tho se with a mean intake below 300 mg/day. In women aged 31-40 years, sub jects belonging to the highest quartile of calcium density (greater-th an-or-equal-to 35 mg/420 kJ) had a 3%-8% higher mean bone mineral dens ity at the spine and femur when compared with those in the lowest quar tile (<20.8 mg/420 kJ). Favorable calcium intake is beneficial in this population of young women with habitual low dietary calcium intake.