Bone Mineral Density and Its Associated Factors in Vietnamese Women Over 40 Years of Age: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Background: Low measured bone mineral density (BMD) in clinical settings is known as an indirect indicator of osteoporosis and fracture risk. Objective: To evaluate the mean BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck and study the correlation between BMD and some associated factors in women aged over 40 years. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional research was performed. The study group included 168 healthy women aged over 40 years having annual health surveillance at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method from June 2017 to May2018. Results: The results recorded that the mean BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck was 0.92±0.2g/cm2 and 0.84±0.15g/cm2, respectively. BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck had a significant positive correlation with height (r=0.353, p<0.001; r=0.394, p<0.001), weight (r=0.435, p<0.001; r=0.414, p<0.001), and BMI (r=0.33, p<0.001; r=0.284, p<0.001), while had a significant negative correlation with age (r=-0.609, p<0.00; r=-0.561; p<0.001), time elapsed since menopause- TESM (r=-0.495, p<0.001; r=-0.523; p<0.001), and number of births given (r=-0.381, p<0.001; r=- 0.268, p<0.001). Conclusion: The mean BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck which had a significant correlation with age, TESM, number of births given, height, weight and BMI were rather high. A targeted future research is suggested to point out a strategy that directly impacts osteoporosis and fracture risks outcomes in healthy Vietnamese women over 40 years of age.