Longitudinal Measurements of Bone Density in Adolescent Girls and Intervention in Diet

Ca intake raises bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescence. The present study aimed at improving BMD in adolescent girls by increasing Ca intake from foods, and developing a supportive method for keeping this eating habit. In July of 1997 and 1998, BMD of the left os calcis was measured by ultrasound bone densitometry in 55 college girls respectively in the 1st and 2nd grades by calculating levels of stiffness which served as the index for BMD. We told them the analyzed results both times, giving instruction in life-style for preventing osteoporosis in 1997 and explanation about Ca-rich foods in 1998. After the measurement in 1998, we selected 11 girls with low BMD for the following intervention in diet (intervention group): i) kind and amount of Ca-rich foods were daily recorded for 4 weeks; ii) difference between the calculated intake and necessary level was told; and iii) subjects were continually encouraged to take daily necessary level from foods. Then, BMD of the intervention group was measured 12 weeks after. Further, in 1999, we measured BMD for the intervention group and 10 selected students with normal BMD in the 2nd grade (non-intervention group). Mean stiffness was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the 2nd grade than in the 1st. In the 2nd grade, the intervention group showed a significantly higher mean 12 weeks after than in July. In the 3rd grade, the decrease in stiffness was stopped in both groups. The longitudinal measurements of BMD over a 2-year period made adolescent girls recognize the decreasing tendency of BMD. We conclude that adolescent girls can maintain BMD by utilizing their knowledge of preventing osteoporosis and by taking ample Ca from foods

Mothers' Body Perception Biased to Obesity and its Effects on Nursing Behaviors

Many women who have dieted in adolescence seem to become mothers without correcting their obesity-biased perceptions of the body. This study estimated the number of such mothers and analyzed the problems in their nursing: 1496 mothers to 790 babies aged 4 months and 706 children aged 18 months completed questionnaires addressing mothers' images of their own and their children's body, mothers' behaviors to reduce children's weight, their behavior patterns and mothers' experiences to reduce their own weight. The level of obesity was calculated with the body mass index (BMI) (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) from the measurements of children's and mothers' body weight and height. Body image was distorted most in mothers for themselves, and then for babies and children: 23.2% and 58.2% of nonobese babies (BMI: 18 and 19, respectively) and 23.2% of nonobese children (BMI: 17) were regarded as obese. Mothers' objective evaluation by referring to the percentile values was less frequent than expected, and subjective evaluation such as "compared with other children" was noted. Weight reducing was practiced in 7.7% of nonobese babies and 17.2% of nonobese children. The high percentage level was due to mothers' body shape evaluation biased to obesity and worry about children's possible future obesity. In 10.5% of the babies and 11.8% of the children, the mothers took extreme dieting measures that could inhibit normal growth of children, such as diluting the concentration of breast milk or formula, reducing the frequency and amount of feeding, etc. Health participants should make young mothers understand the difference of fatness in nursing babies from adolescent obesity through health guidance given individually to mothers on any occasion. Furthermore, considering the effects of mass media, health participants should actively offer related information in printed matter familiar to mothers