Study of Lifestyle and Preventive Behaviors of Osteoporosis among Adolescents in Qazvin

Introduction: Numerous studies showed that lifestyle in the years of growth and adolescence is the most important factor in determining the risk of osteoporosis in later years of life. This study aimed to assess lifestyle and nutritional preventive behaviors of osteoporosis among teenagers in Qazvin in Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed within teenagers, in a population – based sample of 300 students collected via random cluster sampling. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire containing 15 questions (Questions items included risk factors related to osteoporosis, preventive behaviors of osteoporosis, and demographic factors). Using SPSS 16, the data were analyzed by Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Results: Findings showed that the majority of teenagers (71.3%) do not have regular physical activity. There were significant differences between physical activity patterns of male students and female students (P=0.001). Nutritional habit results showed that female students (66.7%) used foods (34.7%) containing vitamin D more than male students. The results showed that 29.3% of male students and 24.3% of female students didn’t use any calcium absorption increasing ways in the body. Conclusion: The study findings show that osteoporosis in Iranian teenagers appears to correlate with several known risk factors and unsuitable behaviors that were well described in the literature. It revealed that preventive educational strategies on osteoporosis are important in this population. So modifying lifestyle among teenagers seems essential in order to prevent osteoporosis in the future