IJE Advance Access originally published online on July 26, 2007
International Journal of Epidemiology 2007 36(5):1143-1150; doi:10.1093/ije/dym149
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Experience of famine and bone health in post-menopausal women
1Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
2Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
3Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
* Corresponding author. Department of Community and Family Medicine, 4/F, School of Public Health, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. E-mail: cwkfrank{at}cuhk.edu.hk
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Abstract |
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Background Famines have occurred in all areas of the world in every period of history. Many studies have shown that poor growth and development and adverse environmental conditions in childhood are associated with osteoporosis in later life. However, little information is available on the relation between famine and bone health.
Methods This study examines the hypothesis that past experience of famine has an adverse impact on bone health, using data from Ms Os (Hong Kong), a large cohort study on osteoporosis in Asian women. There were 1826 Hong Kong women aged 65 years or older recruited from the community. A standardized, structured interview and DXA were performed. Subjects who had experienced famine tended to have lower levels of education, social status and current daily calcium intake. They also have higher rates of cigarette consumption, depression and coronary heart disease.
Results After adjustment for confounders, we found that subjects who had experienced famine have a significantly higher rate of developing osteoporosis than those who had not.
Conclusions We conclude that past exposure to famine, especially in childhood, is associated with osteoporosis.
Keywords Starvation, Hong Kong, osteoporosis, post-menopausal, women, Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Accepted 21 June 2007
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