MTSU graduate student Saori Ishikawa prepares Mary Belle Ginanni for a bone density scan. Ishikawa now is seeking participants for the second phase of her study, which involves activity monitoring and lifestyle coaching. (MTSU file photo by News and Media Relations)

Women who are 60 and older have a golden opportunity to learn how to reduce the risk of postmenopausal bone fractures.

MTSU graduate student Saori Ishikawa is beginning a free lifestyle-coaching program for 30 women who are retired and age 60 and older.

“For this study, participants will begin by monitoring their physical activity and sedentary behavior,” said Ishikawa.

“They will then receive feedback on their daily activity patterns and be provided with information on reducing sedentary behaviors by replacing them with easy lifestyle activities over a four-week period.”

At the conclusion of the four weeks, the study participants will recheck their physical activity and sedentary activity profiles and be provided with further feedback on their activity patterns.

“We hope to show that simply increasing the amount of time spent on your feet doing light-intensity activities may help to minimize bone loss that occurs naturally with aging,” Ishikawa said.

Ishikawa, who is pursuing a doctorate in the MTSU Department of Health and Human Performance, completed a bone-density study of older women last semester in which she scanned the lower back and hipbone areas of her participants.

According to www.medtv.com, osteoporosis is a major bone health threat for 44 million Americans, 64 percent of whom are women. In the United States, 10 million persons already have osteoporosis, and 34 million more have low bone mass.

To volunteer or for more information, contact Ishikawa at 774-240-7517 or si2p@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)