Prevalence of osteoporosis among residents living at different altitudes in Kyrgyzstan

Osteoporosis is a substantial health problem among people, which highlights the importance of studying its prevalence in different geographical regions. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis among population living at different altitudes in Kyrgyz Republic. The study included patients from three regions of Kyrgyz Republic. Baseline data were collected from populations of Bishkek (760 m) (Chui Region), Naryn (2,020 m) (Naryn Region) and Karakol (1,650 m) (Issyk-Kul Region) between July 2022 and August 2024. To assess differences in incidence of osteoporosis among populations living at different altitudes and with different characteristics, authors used chi-square test and rank sum test. A total of 2,300 people participated in study, including 850 lowland residents (Bishkek, 760 m above sea level), 750 residents of mid-mountain region (Karakol, 1,760 m above sea level) and 700 residents of high-mountain region (Naryn, 2,020 m above sea level). Prevalence of osteopenia in mid-altitude and high-altitude regions was 33.7% and 25.2%, respectively, while prevalence of osteoporosis varied significantly: 22.3% in mid-altitude areas compared to 14.9% in high-altitude areas (p < 0.002). Further analysis revealed statistically significant differences in prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis among women (p < 0.05), elderly people (p < 0.05), as well as among underweight individuals (p < 0.01), normal weight individuals (p < 0.05) and obese individuals (p < 0.03). With increasing height, prevalence of osteoporosis decreased in all groups, while prevalence of osteopenia decreased among women and in various body mass index categories, but increased among young and elderly people. This study demonstrates that higher altitudes are associated with a lower prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis, especially among women and middle-aged and elderly people