The link between nutritional parameters and bone mineral density in women: results of a screening programme for osteoporosis

BACKGROUND: A positive association between handgrip strength and bone mineral density was demonstrated, but not all the investigations confirmed these results. We conducted a screening programme for osteoporosis in a large cohort of postmenopausal women to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength, other nutritional parameters and bone density. METHODS: This investigation involved 1,300 white volunteers. All participants underwent a bone mineral density evaluation at the heel and a handgrip strength measurement. RESULTS: The mean T-score value was -1.15 ± 1; a total of 181 participants reported at least one osteoporotic fracture. In the univariate analysis, both handgrip strength and body mass index were associated with the T-score value. Adjustment for confounding factors confirmed this relationship showing, in the multivariate analysis, that the body mass index was positively correlated to the T-score (B = 0.034; p = 0.001) and, in the logistic regression analysis, that handgrip strength was associated with the presence of osteoporosis (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Both body mass index and handgrip strength were strongly correlated to bone mineral density, assessed with ultrasound, suggesting a possible key role as bone disease predictors.