Influence of diet on bone health in Saudi Arabian women

Few data exist on the effect of dietary and lifestyle factors on indices of bone health in women living in Middle Eastern countries. As part of our on-going bone health study in 212 Saudi Arabian women, a total of 100 premenopausal and 112 postmenopausal women living in the city of Jeddah were studied. They were aged 20–30 years and 45–60 years, respectively. Measurements were made on weight and height as well as spine, hip and calcaneal bone mass. All subjects were interviewed concerning their habitual dietary intake, physical activity levels and general lifestyle. Prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis was common amongst postmenopausal women. Vitamin D deficiency was extensive in both the pre- and postmenopausal women Saudi women. Further analysis of the dataset are required to examine extensively the effect of diet on bone health in Middle Eastern women, but these data are a cause for concern regarding the extent of vitamin D deficiency.