DIETARY CAFFIENE AND BONE HEALTH OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN--FOLLOW UP STUDY

The overall goal of this research is to quantify the bone status, medical history, nutrient intake and caffeine intake of athe cohort of postmenopausal women who participated in the Penn State "Women, Caffeineand Bone study" two years ago. The initial study was cross- sectional in nature with a proposed recruitment of 150 healthy women ages 55-70 who had minimal or no exposure to hormone replacement therapy. By design, equal numbers of low (equivalent to 0-2 cups caffeinated coffee per day), moderate (equivalent to 3-4 cups of caffeinated coffee per day), and high (equivalent to 5 or more cups caffeinated coffee per day) caffeine users were recruited. Recruitment was performed such that each of the three subgroups was balanced with respect to habitual exercise patterns of the participants. A total of 146 women participated. Of these, eight were excluded for failing to meet one or more of the inclusion criteria. Studies of total body bone measurements and both hip bone measurements showed no relationship dietary caffeine intake and any bone measurement. The present study is a follow-up. We will make the same measurements on as many of the original cohort as possible, as as possible to the two year anniversary of each particpant's first clinic visit. The major anticipated finding from this follow-up study will be to establish whether older women with different caffeine intakes have the same or different rates of postmenopausal bone loss.In addition, we will construct the first longitudinal data base on the relationships among habitual caffeine intake, general health, and overall nutrient intake of postmenopausal women.