Comparison of bone mineral density among residents of a mountain village and a fishing village in Japan.

OBJECTIVE To compare the bone mineral density of residents of a mountain village with that of residents of a fishing village in Mie Prefecture, Japan. METHODS Microdensitometry was used to measure bone mineral density of the second metacarpal bone of 202 participants living in a mountain village and of 852 participants living in a fishing village to identify contributory factors for osteoporosis. The participants were interviewed using a questionnaire on alcohol consumption, fish intake, milk intake, and daily activity. RESULTS Analysis of covariance revealed that bone mineral density was significantly higher among the participants living in a fishing village than among those living in a mountain village (2.5-2.9 versus 2.1-2.7 mmAl; p<0.001). A higher proportion of women in the fishing village than of those in the mountain village consumed alcohol (17% versus 10%; p<0.05). CONCLUSION Nutrition may be a contributory factor to the lower incidence of osteoporosis among residents of the fishing village compared with those of the mountain village.