Osteoporosis in Healthy South Indian Males and the Influence of Life Style Factors and Vitamin D Status on Bone Mineral Density

Abstract

Objective. To study the prevalence of osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency in healthy men and to explore the influence of various life style factors on bone mineral density (BMD) and also to look at number of subjects warranting treatment. Methods. Ambulatory south Indian men aged above 50 were recruited by cluster random sampling. The physical activity, risk factors in the FRAX tool, BMD, vitamin D, and PTH were assessed. The number of people needing treatment was calculated, which included subjects with osteoporosis and osteopenia with 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture >20 percent and hip fracture >3 percent in FRAX India. Results. A total of 252 men with a mean age of 58 years were studied. The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia at any one site was 20% (50/252) and 58%, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/dL) was seen in 53%. On multiple logistic regression, BMI (OR 0.3; P value = 0.04) and physical activity (OR 0.4; P value < 0.001) had protective effect on BMD. Twenty-five percent warranted treatment. Conclusions. A significantly large proportion of south Indian men had osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency. Further interventional studies are needed to look at reduction in end points like fractures in these subjects.

Evaluation of osteoporosis using calcaneal QUS and FRAX score as a screening tool in a semi urban tertiary care hospital of South India

“…9 Also Shetty et al reported slightly lesser values of osteoporosis (20%) but slightly higher values of osteopenia (58%) in south Indian men aged above 50 years when compared to this study. 18 In this study, the bone mineral density decreased as the age advances among men, especially after 40 years of age which is also identical to the findings by Agarwal and Sharma who found that BMD decreases as age advances in a study carried out among 200 healthy men aged above 50 years. 19 The current guidelines suggest screening for osteoporosis in asymptomatic Caucasian men above 70 years of age and in men in the age group 50-69 with additional risk factors but there is a paucity of recommendations for Indian men.…”

Screening for absolute fracture risk using FRAX tool in men and women within 40-90 years in urban population of Puducherry, India

“…17 Shetty et al reported slightly lesser values of osteoporosis (20%) and slightly higher values of osteopenia (58%) in south Indian men aged above 50 years. 18 Whereas in our study out of 250 male participants, 5 (2%) and 51 (20.4%) participants were found to satisfy the criteria of ≥20% major osteoporotic risk and ≥3% hip fracture risk respectively.…”

Absence of vitamin D deficiency among common outdoor workers in Delhi

“…These observations highlight that though indirect sun exposure can prevent VDD, for vitamin D sufficiency outdoors workers need to have direct sun exposure. The observation of near normal serum 25(OH)D of 50.0 nmol/L is common in southern India that receives more sunlight than north India . Present study indicates that it is possible to have normal serum 25(OH)D naturally in outdoor workers of northern Indian region.…”