Assessment of the state of knowledge about osteoporosis and its nutritional risk factors among adults aged 18–65
Assessment of the state of knowledge about osteoporosis and its nutritional risk factors among adults aged 18–65

Summary/Abstract: Background: Osteoporosis is a disease of modern civilization. It represents an ever-growing medical problem, with a steadily increasing number of cases and complications. The disease is becoming more common every year as people lead unhealthy lifestyles and, above all, people are getting older. Over the past twenty years, an increase in the incidence of osteoporosis has been observed in European Union countries, including Poland. This phenomenon causes many significant consequences, both from a health and economic perspective. The World Health Organization has classified osteoporosis as a disease of civilization and called it “the epidemic of the 21st century” and “the silent thief of bones.”Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of adults aged 18–65 about osteoporosis and its nutritional risk factors.Material and methods: The study included 150 participants. The study group was characterized by gender, age, education, and declared body weight and height. The survey included questions about one’s knowledge of the disease and about osteoporosis risk factors and those which protect against it.Results: The level of knowledge about osteoporosis among female and male respondents was rated as good. The level of knowledge about nutritional risk factors for the development of osteoporosis among men and women was also classified as good.Conclusions: The deficient areas in terms of osteoporosis knowledge are a lack of knowledge about the effects of mineral deficiencies and the estimated incidence of osteoporosis in Poland. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about the role of calcium and vitamin D in the etiology of the disease was observed.

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