Women are now being recruited for a 10-month study at the University of California, Davis, to determine how diet affects the risk for osteoporosis. The study will compare women vegans to those women eating a typical American diet. The research is jointly sponsored by the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Human Nutrition Research Center, based at UC Davis. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become thinner and more likely to break. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 18 million have thinner than normal bones, a risk factor for osteoporosis. Eighty percent of those affected by osteoporosis are women. Although osteoporosis is more likely to develop in women over the age of 50 who have reached menopause, risk factors for developing the disease can be reduced prior to reaching menopause. Diet is one important factor that affects the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. "Most people assume that a vegan diet, which omits all foods from animals, including meat, fish, and dairy products, is not as healthy as the typical American diet," said Lydia Stawasz, a UC Davis graduate student, who is coordinating the study along with Marta Van Loan, a USDA nutritionist, and Anita Oberbauer, a UC Davis professor. "However, few studies concerning the vegan diet have been conducted, particularly in relation to the risk for osteoporosis," Stawasz said. "The nutrients found in the vegan diet may be different from the nutrients in the typical American diet, but the effect on the bone may be the same for the two diets," The goal of this study is not to change women's diets, Stawasz stresses, but rather to help researchers understand the impact of these two very different diets on bone health in normal individuals who already have specific eating lifestyles, vegan or the typical American diet. "One of the challenges we are facing is that the vegan population is very small," said Stawasz. "However, by participating in this study, the vegan community can make a significant contribution toward uncovering new clues about preventing osteoporosis." Women selected for the study can expect to donate urine and blood samples, keep three-day diet records, and fill out questionnaires regarding items such as diet and exercise habits. Also a noninvasive, painless bone-density test will be administered. During the 10-month study, women will be required to participate in each of these activities three to four different times. The researchers are recruiting women vegans as well as women who eat animal products, such as meat and dairy. Individuals should be nonsmoking women age 20-35 years. Anyone interested in obtaining more information may call (530) 752-5177 or e-mail bonestudy@ucdavis.edu. Selected participants will receive a stipend of $150 plus bone-density measurements and diet analyses.