| Objective To investigate the awareness rate of risk factors and the prevalence rate of osteoporosis in elderly people over 60 years old in Shanghai, in order to strengthen the education of the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and its complications. Methods A questionnaire investigation on the awareness rate of risk factors of osteoporosis was performed in840 participants aged over 60 years in our and several district central hospitals. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebrae was measured. The subjects were grouped based on sex and age (10-year age difference between groups). BMD values, prevalence rate of osteoporosis, and the risk factors were analyzed using SPSS19.0. Results Among people over 60 years living in Shanghai area, the awareness rate of traditional risk factors of osteoporosis was relatively high, such as low bone mineral density (100%), calcium deficiency (100%), advanced age (96.5%), dietary bias (96.1%), and lack of exercise (85.1%). However, the awareness rate of clinical risk factors was relatively low, including smoking or drinking (36.5%), obesity (25.1%), family fracture history (14.9%), fall (10.2%), diabetes (7.5%), and solitary (6.7%), etc. The prevalence rate of risk factors for osteoporosis in elderly people over 60 years in Shanghai from high to low was fall 51.7%, advanced age 43.4%, solitary 34.1%, diabetes 30.5 %, low bone mineral density 27.6%, family fracture history 22.8%, overweight 17.1%, lack of exercise 13%, and smoking or drinking 11.6%. Conclusion The prevalence rate of osteoporosis in elderly people over 60 years in Shanghai is high. The awareness rate of risk factors for osteoporosis is low. It is negatively correlative between the two factors, indicating that it is urgent to actively carry out an in-depth knowledge promotion of osteoporosis prevention and relevant education. |