Relationship between body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in perimenopausal Korean women

Abstract

In this Korean female population, L-spine BMD showed a consistently positive correlation with lean mass and a negative correlation with WHR. Fat mass failed to show any consistent correlation with L-spine BMD in this study population.

Obesity and fracture risk

“…However, when the mechanical loading effect caused by total body weight is statistically removed, both fat mass and percentage fat are negatively correlated with bone mass (9). Consistent with this finding two more recent studies, carried out on large cohorts of Chinese and Korean subjects, found that subjects with a higher percentage of body fat presented lower bone mineral density and a higher prevalence of osteoporosis (10,11). However, the relative effect of lean mass and fat mass, the major components of body weight, on BMD still remains controversial.…”

“…Moreover, a recent prospective study of the EPIC cohort reported that higher body fat mass is associated with lower risk of hip fracture amongst women but not men (38). In contrast a study carried out in Korean postmenopausal women reported that high percentage body fat and waist circumference were associated to an increased risk of vertebral fractures (11). However, the results of this latter study (11) were not adjusted for BMD, a major determinant of fracture risk.…”

“…In contrast a study carried out in Korean postmenopausal women reported that high percentage body fat and waist circumference were associated to an increased risk of vertebral fractures (11). However, the results of this latter study (11) were not adjusted for BMD, a major determinant of fracture risk. A recent study carried out in 1,011 male and female participants in the Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort study has reported a positive association between prevalent thoracic vertebral fractures and BMI, total fat mass and waist circumference, while there was a negative relationship between prevalent thoracic vertebral deformities and total fat mass in men (39).…”

“…In addition, the consequent higher serum parathyroid hormone levels reported in obese individuals could have an adverse effect on cortical bone (42,43). Although some previous studies, generally carried out in Asian populations have suggested an inverse association between visceral adipose tissue and BMD (11,44), the literature data regarding the impact of body fat mass distribution on BMD and fracture risk still remains controversial. In fact, the possible negative association between central obesity and fracture risk may be supported by the fact that in the growing evidence that obesity may be related to an increased risk of fracture has important public health implications.…”

Relationships of percent body fat and percent trunk fat with bone mineral density among Chinese, black, and white subjects

“…In addition, abdominal fat accumulation was considered to be independently associated with bone mineral content (BMC) in prepubertal children [12]. A recent epidemiologic study using waist circumference as the index of abdominal fat showed a negative association between abdominal fat accumulation and BMD [13]. Furthermore, a newly published study divided abdominal fat into visceral and subcutaneous adiposity and found a negative correlation between visceral adiposity and BMD [14].…”