The relationship between diet and bone mineral content of multiple skeletal sites in elderly Japanese-American men and women living in Hawaii.

The relationship of dietary intake of nutrients assessed by 24-h recalls and supplementary intake of selected minerals and vitamins to the bone mineral content (BMC) of the radius, ulna, and os calcis measured by the photon absorption technique was cross-sectionally studied in a sample of elderly Japanese residents (1208 men and 912 women) in Hawaii. Dietary intakes of milk, calcium, and vitamin D were significantly and positively associated with BMC in both sexes after adjusting for age, weight, height, strenuous exercise (men), history of nonviolent fracture, thiazide use, and estrogen use (women). However, independent contributions of milk or nutrients to BMC were only modest as compared with those of major confounders. No consistent result was obtained concerning the effects of supplementary minerals and vitamins upon BMC.