Relationship between Body Composition and Osteoporosis among Postmenopausal Women

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Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis is a skeletal system disease characterized by decrease in bone mass density. The main outcome of this disease is the increased risk of fracture of the bones in areas tolerating the body weight, including the vertebrae, femurs, and even joints, such as the wrists, that do not tolerate weight. The present study was conducted with the objective to describe the relationship between body composition and osteoporosis among postmenopausal women.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 50 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in the age range of 45-65 years referred to Sina Hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Body mass, fat body mass, lean body mass, and bone density of the spine and femurs were measured. The skin fold thickness (SKF) was assessed using a caliper. Bone density was measured using the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) method in the spinal column and femoral head areas. A multiple regression model was exploited to investigate the relationship between the components of body composition and the spinal bone density of the vertebrae and femurs.

Results: Among the components of body composition, a significant relationship was only observed between lean body mass and femoral neck bone density (P < 0.050, R² = 0.271) and spine bone density (P < 0.050 and P = 0.088).

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested that lean body mass was one of the most powerful predictors of osteoporosis. Hence, women at risk of osteoporosis can be identified using this model and earlier preventative and therapeutic measures can be taken. Moreover, additional diagnostic costs for those who are not at risk can be prevented.