title: Predictors of bone mineral density in african-american and caucasian college-aged women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research regarding risk factors and prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) among African-American and Caucasian college-aged women are limited. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if selected predictors of BMD in African-American and Caucasian college-aged women differ by race.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 101 local African-American (n=50) and Caucasian (n=51) females, ages 18 to 30 years, were in this study. All data were collected in the Bone Density and Body Composition Laboratory. BMD was measured using DXA technology. Race, family history of osteoporosis, BMI, current physical activity, osteoporosis knowledge, length of time on oral contraceptives, age at menarche and calcium intake were included in the multiple regression analyses with spinal and femoral BMD as dependent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 38.6% had low spinal BMD and 7.9% had low femoral BMD. BMI (β=0.073, R(2) = .148, P = .001, 95% CI [0.030, 0.116]) and current physical activity (β=0.071, R(2) = .148, P = .017, 95% CI [0.013, 0.129]) were the only variables that were statistically significant in predicting spinal BMD. BMI (β=0.056, R(2) = .13, P = .010, 95% CI [0.014, 0.098]) and current physical activ-ity (β=0.078, R(2) = .13, P = .007, 95% CI [0.022, 0.134]) were also the only varia-bles that were statistically significant in predicting femoral BMD. Race was not a significant predictor of spinal or femoral BMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is imperative for both African-American and Caucasian women to engage in osteoporosis-preventive behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN, 38238, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA.
authors.forename: M Allison
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
authors.forename: Tamekia L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA.
authors.forename: Vinayak K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Nahar
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hallam
keywords: BMD; BMI; Osteoporosis Knowledge; Physical activity; Race; Women