Abstract
Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is measured through DEXA scans and shows the concentration of minerals in a volume of bone area which is used as an indicator for fracture, osteopenia, and osteoporosis risk. Women who are in the peri and post-menopausal phase are at higher risk of bone related issues due to the hormonal profile changes. BMD can be remodeled by continual loading of stress from mechanics, posture, and movement patterns, usually and most effectively by physical activity (PA). While PA is generally prescribed to increase BMD, occupation often accounts for a substantial portion of an individual’s daily activity. The degree of intensity and time spent in an occupation could lead to changes in BMD over a lifetime. Thus, understanding the relationship between occupational physical demands and BMD of women could lead to preventative health interventions reducing the risk of developing adverse bone-related outcomes. PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between BMD and occupational intensity through lifetime. METHODS: 51 premenopausal women between 30 and 40 years of age were prescribed and given a DEXA scan evaluating age-matched Z-scores for their overall total body, L2-L4 lumbar spine, and femur BMD. The same 51 participants were then interviewed using the Lifetime Total Physical Activity Questionnaire (LTPAQ) to evaluate PA and occupational status through their lifetime and the intensity at which they were completed. Other data, including minor health history covering health behaviors and reproductive history, were also collected for future investigations. RESULTS: Pearson correlations were used to determine the relationship between occupational Mets and age-matched BMD Z-scores. A low positive, statistically significant relationship was found (r = 0.309, p = 0.029). This indicated a weak positive relationship between occupational intensity and BMD in premenopausal women between 30 and 40 years of age. CONCLUSION: The modest relationship between lifetime occupational Mets and BMD shows a positive correlation to the intensity of occupation and resulting BMD. This validates that there is a correlation between higher occupational intensity and higher BMD coinciding with the proportion of time spent in an occupation over one’s life, as compared to time spent doing PA. As sedentary employment becomes more prevalent, understanding how occupational demands influence bone health is growing in importance, especially in premenopausal women. Continuing research in this area may help to inform workplace policies, public health recommendations, and the development of targeted interventions aimed at reducing adverse bone health outcomes. Despite this, PA should not be neglected, as it still has the importance of building BMD.
Recommended Citation
Dooley, Ashlyn R.; Vezzetti, Elizabeth Y.; Nelson, Jaden M.; Porter, Ryan R.; and Matthews, Shannon A.
(2026)
"Occupational Intensity and Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal Women,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 191.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/191