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The calcium and phosphorus play a crucial role in the bone health status of an individual. The quantitative ultra sound (QUS) bone densitometry measured at calcaneous bone is used to evaluate the bone strength based on WHO criteria of BMD T-score standard deviation against normal adult mean. Accordingly the women are divided into normal, osteopenic and osteoporotic women. The age-related changes are evaluated by four different age groups viz., 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74 years. The results clearly indicated by reduction in serum calcium and phosphorus with progressive age and as the bone health regressed from normal to osteopenia and to osteoporosis. Intervention strategies in dietary modifications by including calcium rich foods might reduce the extent of bone loss and consequences of osteoporotic risk levels in aged and elderly women. Introduction The key to bone health lies in the body’s calcium balance. Calcium plays a vital role in intracellular communications and other body processes which require regulation of the calcium in serum within narrow limits. The skeleton serves as a bank from which the blood can borrow and return calcium as needed. If the ‘saving account’ is not sufficient, then it will develop the fragile bones of osteoporosis. Maintaining serum calcium level through sufficient dietary intake could prevent or at least would slow down the consequence of bone loss associated with ageing process. [1] Calcium requirements for skeleton maintenance fluctuate throughout a women’s life. During the teen years, calcium requirements are high because of the demands of a rapidly growing skeleton. Low calcium intake during that time may impede reaching peak bone mass, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis later in life. During woman’s 20s, less calcium is required as bone turnover stabilizes (i.e., bone formation and resorption rates become balanced) and peak adult bone mass is achieved. Calcium requirements remain stable until menopause. When woman reaches menopause, the bone resorption rate increases, bone mass declines and associated with the fall in ovarian estrogen production. Calcium needs rise at that time because of a decrease in the efficiency of utilization of dietary calcium, which is also associated with the fall in ovarian estrogen production. [2] While calcium is the most prevalent element in bone, bone diseases (such as osteoporosis) are due to more than just a lack of calcium. Several other nutrients and minerals, including phosphorus are also critical for maintaining healthy bones. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for human and animal life. It is fundamental to growth, maintenance, and repair of all body tissues, and is necessary, along with calcium and magnesium for proper growth and formation of bones in infants and children. Sufficient phosphorus intake is important throughout life to ensure the proper balance of essential minerals in order to promote re-mineralization of bones and teeth to keep them in a healthy state. [3] Since these two are concerned with calcification of bone, they are often determined together. In addition to the part which it plays in the building of bones and teeth, the calcium present in the blood and other extracellular fluid is important for maintaining the correct conditions for normal nerve irritability and muscle contraction and plays a role in blood coagulation. Phosphorus is more widely distributed than calcium. Besides being present in bones and teeth, unlike calcium it is found in the cells and so is present in the soft tissues and in many important substances like nucleic acids, coenzymes etc and essential for acid-base regulation. Based on the need of the dual elements, calcium and phosphorus in the maintenance of appropriate bone health and bodily functions throughout human life, the current research is aimed at the estimation of serum calcium and phosphorus levels among urban women in relation to bone metabolic conditions, osteopenia and osteoporosis. Methodology The age-related changes are evaluated among urban women through assessment of alterations in serum calcium and phosphorus levels in relation to bone metabolic conditions of osteopenia and osteoporosis among four different age groups viz., younger (35-44 years), middle aged (45-54 years), aged (55-64 years) and elderly (65-74 years) women. The whole urban women study group comprised of 260 members with sub-sample sizes of 60 in younger, 80 in middle aged, 80 in aged and 40 in elderly aged women respectively. The osteoporotic condition is analyzed based on BMD T-score obtained from QUS bone densitometry. WHO classification of BMD T-score is followed to categorize the women into normal (BMD T-Score: >-1.0), Osteopenia (BMD T-Score:-1.0 to -2.5) and osteoporosis ( |
