Weight Loss Tied to Loss of Hip Bone Density in Older Adults

A study in Obesity found obese and overweight older adults who lose weight have lower bone mineral density (BMD) in their hips, reports Medical Xpress . Seventy-seven adults about 67 years old on average were assessed at baseline, 18 months, and 30 months throughout an 18-month weight-loss program. The researchers compiled data on their body mass and body composition, BMD, trabecular bone score, and regional bone scores at the hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine. Participants were classified as either weight regainers (WRs) or weight maintainers (WMs). The only significant reduction was seen in BMD across the intervention, in both WRs and WMs. WRs had slightly lower losses in hip BMD versus those who maintained their weight at 30 months, but the difference was statistically insignificant. The change in hip BMD also had a direct association with change in total fat mass and total lean body mass, but the inverse relationship between total body lean mass and trabecular bone score was nonsignificant. "These data add to a growing body of literature suggesting that bone loss persists after weight loss ends," the authors concluded. "Thus, to preserve the integrity of the skeletal system, geriatricians and their care recipients should strive to minimize bone loss during active weight loss attempts and approach weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change."