title: [Study on the prevalence rate of primary osteopenia in the middle-aged and the elderly population in some parts of China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the distribution of prevalence rate of primary osteopenia (POPA) in the middle-aged and the elderly in some parts of China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured and questionnaire was administered to 5 600 people aged above 40 in five administrative areas in China, through a stritified-multi-steps-cluster sampling method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total prevalence rate of primary osteopenia in some parts of China was 15.8%, according to the most significant parts of the rate of loss. Of them, the prevalence rate of males was 20.0% compared to 12.4% in females (P < 0.01); There were also differences on POPA prevalence among provinces, age groups and areas between urban and rural (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although prevention and treatment of primary osteopenia were important strategy in males however it should not be ignored in females as well.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Hospital, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors