The Impact of Body Weight Change on Bone Mineral Density of the Lumbar Spine in Perimenopausal Women: A Retrospective, One-year Follow-up Study

BACKGROUND: Low body weight was one of the risk factors of osteoporosis. Little is known about the correlation between body weight change and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean women. Therefore, this study was designed to reveal the impact of body weight change on BMD of the lumbar spine in perimenopausal women. METHODS: 105 healthy perimenopausal women aged between 44 and 50 years old were enrolled from August 2002 to March 2009. BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Partial correlation coefficients between body weight change and BMD change were calculated after the adjustments for several variables. BMD changes among groups based on BMI and the percentage change in body weight during 1-year follow-up period were compared. RESULTS: At both baseline and year 1, BMD of lumbar spine tended to be associated more with body weight. There was a significant association between body weight change and BMD change in lumbar spine during 1-year follow-up period. The weight gain group relatively showed an increase in BMD of lumbar spines than weight loss group. There was no BMD change in BMI less than 23 kg/m(2) group, but in case of BMI more than 23 kg/m(2) group, BMD in weight gain group increased more than the weight maintaining group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that body weight change is associated with change in BMD of lumbar spine in perimenopausal women especially if they are overweight.