Do College Students Consuming Fish Have Decreased Risk of Osteoporosis?
Objectives: To compare bone health of college students (18-24 years old) consuming fish and those not consuming fish.
Methods: Data (n=3192, 66.8% female, 33.2% male) were collected between 2012-2020 from the College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey (CHANAS), an ongoing, cross-sectional study at a public, northeastern university. Participants’ bone ultrasound attenuation (BUA) Z-scores from bilateral calcaneus bone were used to assess osteoporosis risk. Fish intake (# of 3oz servings/week) was self-reported via the online College Wellness Survey. Fish intake was organized into three groups: 0 servings, 0.1-1.9, or ≥ 2 servings/week based on the distribution of the data. Difference in fish intake and osteoporosis risk were stratified by gender (men and women) and analyzed via ANCOVA using body fat percentage, weight, and total energy intake as covariates.
Results: Sixty-four percent (64.8%) of all participants were categorized as having normal bone density, 32.8% at risk for osteopenia, and 2.4% of students were at risk for osteoporosis. Thirty-three percent (33.4%) of students reported no intake of fish, 31.4% of students reported 0.1-1.9 servings/week of fish, and 35.2% reported ≥ 2 servings/week. No significant differences in BUA z-scores according to fish intake group were found among both male and female students after adjusting for covariates (P=0.54 and P=0.69).
Conclusions: Findings show that fish intake did not directly impact risk of osteoporosis in both male and female college students. Further research is needed to see if fish intake impacts other populations’ osteoporosis risk.
Funding Source: New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Stations and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Project 1010738.
