Effect of body mass index on bone mineral density

Abstract

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is a good indicator for measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) which measures the density of minerals present in the bones using a special scan. BMD can be used to assess the strength of bones. Osteoporosis is a natural phenomenon of wear and tear. Obesity is an independent risk factor for low BMD. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the most accurate way to measure BMD. DEXA is a gold standard technique for diagnosing osteoporosis. Hence the current study was designed to study the effect of BMI on BMD. Methods: The present retrospective study was conducted on the patients who were referred to the Department of Radio diagnosis for DEXA scan were selected. Eighty 50-80 years old men who attended various departments were included. BMI was measured as weight in kilograms by height in meters square. BMD was assessed by DEXA scan. Results: Eighty men in the age group of 50-80 (62.46 ± 7.63) years were included in the study. All men underwent a standard BMD scans of femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae (L2-L4) using a DEXA scan. BMI (28.1 ± 4.93) kg/m 2 shows a highly significant positive correlation with BMD (171 ± -1.76 ± 1.71) SD, r = 0.53 p<0.01. Conclusions: The results suggest lower BMI is an important risk factor for the occurrence of low BMD. BMD can be used for screening test for osteoporosis.