title: Calcium and dairy products consumption and association with total hip bone mineral density in women from kosovo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is paucity of evidence in southeastern Europe and Kosovo regarding dairy products consumption and association with bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, the objective of present study was to assess calcium intake and dairy products consumption and to investigate relationship with total hip BMD in a Kosovo women sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included a sample of 185 women divided into respective groups according to total hip BMD. All the study participants completed a food frequency questionnaire and underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to estimate BMD. Nonparametric tests were performed to compare characteristics of the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average dietary calcium intake was 818.41 mg/day. Only 16.75% of the subjects met calcium recommended dietary reference intakes (DRIs). There were no significant differences between low BMD group and normal BMD group regarding average dietary calcium intake, but it was significantly higher in BMDT3 subgroup than in BMDT2 and BMDT1 subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate significant relationship of daily dietary calcium intake with upper BMD tertile. Further initiatives are warranted from this study to highlight the importance of nutrition education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Elton
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bahtiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Hilmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Islami
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Rexhep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoxha
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Hasime Qorraj-
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Bytyqi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Faton
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sermaxhaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Enis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D063826:Kosovo; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary
keywords: Bone mineral density; dairy products; dietary calcium intake; risk factors; women