Osteoporosis Among Asian Americans

Katie Dadisman and Indajae Huff: Junior Dietetics, Howard University

Introduction
Due to a high prevalence of
lactose intolerance and a
lesser cultural emphasis on
dairy, those of Asian decent
tend to consume lower
amounts of calcium.
Those of Asian decent are
at increased risk of
developing osteoporosis,
likely due to insufficient
calcium intake.
Calcium is crucial for bone
regeneration, therefore it is
needed in adequate
amounts for optimal bone
health.
After menopause (and later
in life for men), Parathyroid
Hormone (PTH) levels
typically increase; PTH pulls
calcium from the bones into
the blood. Therefore, more
calcium is needed to
suppress the increased PTH
levels.

Methods
For the purposes of this
presentation, peerreviewed articles, USDA
data, and Krauses Food
and the Nutrition Care
Process were used to
gauge the disparity that
exists between the high
prevalence of osteoporosis
among Asians and the
resources that are
currently in place to
address this issue.

Discussion

One study found calcium

intake among ChineseAmerican women to be
400-500 mg/day; this is
well below DRI of 1,000
mg/day for women aged
31-50 years of age.
According to the study,
Chinese-American women
who received education
about osteoporosis and
calcium-rich foods
substantially increased
their daily consumption of
calcium and vitamin D.
This study suggests that
more education targeting
Asians regarding the

Intervention

Increase educational
programs among Asian
populations meant to
address lack of
knowledge pertaining to
importance of calcium
and high risk of
osteoporosis.

Increase awareness of
non-dairy and/or lactosefree sources of calcium;
these include fortified milk
substitutes and juices as
well as lactose-free dairy
products.

Conclusion

Asian-Americans make up a
relatively small percent of
the American population.
Therefore, not many
educational resources
directed towards AsianAmericans and calcium
intake exist.
While one study found that
Chinese-Americans were
not well-educated as to the
role of calcium in
maintaining bone health,
another found that this
population was perceptive
to change, meaning that

References
Lv, N., & Brown, J. L. (2010).
Place of Dairy Products in the
Chinese-American Family Food
System. Journal of the American
Dietetic Association, 110(8),
1207-1215.
doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.05.003
Lv, N., & Brown, J. L. (2011).
Impact of a Nutrition Education
Program to Increase Intake of
Calcium-Rich Foods by ChineseAmerican Women. Journal of the
American Dietetic Association,
111(1), 143-149.
doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.10.005
Mahan, L. K., Escott-Stump, S.,
Raymond, J. L., & Krause, M. V.
(2012). Krause's food & the
nutrition care process. St. Louis,
MO: Elsevier/Saunders.