Abstract

The study investigated whether differences exist between postmenopausal Caucasian vegetarian and omnivorous women regarding trabecular and cortical bone density measured with single- and dual-photon absorptiometry. Anthropometric measurements, blood and urine samples, and food intakes of the twenty-eight matched pairs were also compared. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated no significant differences in bone measurements between vegetarians and omnivores at any sites except the skull. The vegetarians' serum globulin and total protein measured higher. Urine calcium and creatinine were similar between the groups. The vegetarians consumed greater quantities of carbohydrate, fiber, magnesium, ascorbic acid, copper, and energy as percent carbohydrate, and lower quantities of protein, niacin, alcohol, vitamin B-12, cholesterol, and energy as percent protein. Despite several differences in dietary intakes, the results indicate that neither cortical nor trabecular bone density in these postmenopausal women was affected by a lactoovovegetarian diet.