Although low bone mass and accelerated bone loss can occur early in life, osteoporosis is usually considered a disorder of postmenopausal women. However, some premenopausal women are also at risk for osteoporosis. Because of a lack of knowledge and few practice recommendations for premenopausal women, it can be more difficult to determine the potential risk and to manage the low bone mass in these women. Low bone density in the young adult female may refl ect attainment of a lower peak bone mass or be secondary to progressive bone loss following attainment of peak bone density. Early bone health is a key determinant of future osteoporosis, optimizing the bone gain by young adulthood and minimizing the bone loss by menopause is the important preventive strategies. Low bone mass in the young adult female may be associated with prolonged amenorrhea, anorexia nervosa, chronic glucocorticoid therapy and diseases that affect calcium and vitamin D metabolism. Also, bone loss may be associated with common conditions such as smoking, dieting, low calcium intake, and low physical activity. This review addresses peak bone mass accrual, risk factors, screening or evaluation and management of low bone mass in young adult female.

Citations

• Bone Mineral Density, Biochemical Bone Turnover Markers and Factors associated with Bone Health in Young Korean Women
  Young-Joo Park, Sook Ja Lee, Nah-Mee Shin, Hyunjeong Shin, Yoo-Kyung Kim, Yunjung Cho, Songi Jeon, Inhae Cho
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2014; 44(5): 504.     CrossRef
• Structural Model for Osteoporosis Preventive Behaviors in Postmenopausal Women: Focused on their Own BMD Awareness
  Young Joo Park, Sook Ja Lee, Nah Mee Shin, Hyun Cheol Kang, Sun Haeng Kim, Tak Kim, Song I Jeon, In hae Cho
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2013; 25(5): 527.     CrossRef
• A Study on the Level of Awareness and Self-Efficacy of Osteoporosis in Young Women
  Euysoon Choi, Ju Young Lee
  Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing.2010; 16(2): 204.     CrossRef

Background: There have been many studies on osteoporosis, which is one of the most important cause of fracture in adults. However, whether moderate physical activity during youth confers lasting benefits for bone is unclear. Thus, we are here concerned with the relation of teenage physical activity and bone mineral density in Korean premenopausal women. Methods: From March to June 2007, 75 clients who visited a general hospital for medical check-up were enrolled in this study. The subjects reported physical activity for four age periods (12∼18, 19∼34, 35∼49, current) using self reporting questionnaire. And they completed two 3-day food records, had measurements of height and weight, and aBMD assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (L2-4) and femoral neck. Results: There was a significant relation of teenage physical activity (especially weight bearing physical activity) and aBMD in both sites (lumbar spine r=0.42, P＜ 0.01; femoral neck r=0.33, P＜0.01). But the activity during other age periods was not associated with the current aBMD at both sites. Conclusion: Our results suggest that moderate physical activity during the teen years appears to have lasting benefits for lumbar spine and femoral neck aBMD in Korean premenopausal women. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008;29:781-787)