Relationship between Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density in Pre- and Post-menopausal Women

Objectives: We analyzed the relationship between body composition, metabolic parameters, and lumbar and femur bone mineral density (BMD) in pre-and post-menopausal women. Methods: Of 394 females who participated in a medical check-up program, anthropometric measurements and fasting glucose levels and lipid profiles were measured. Body composition analysis was performed using the bioimpedence method and the BMD of the lumbar spine, femur neck, trochanter, ward’s triangle, and total were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The mean age was 49.5 ± 9.8 years, and among the subjects, 203 (51.5%) were pre-menopausal and 191 (48.5%) were postmenopausal women. Skeletal muscle mass, fatfree mass, lean body mass, and basal metabolic rate had a positive correlation with the lumbar and femur spine BMD, even after adjustment for age and weight in pre-menopausal women. The abdominal fat ratio, fat mass, waist circumference, percent fat, and total cholesterol had a negative correlation with the lumbar and femur spine BMD, even after adjustment for age and weight in pre-menopausal women. The lean body mass in the legs and trunk, skeletal muscle mass, and fat free mass had a positive correlation with the BMD of the lumbar spine and femur neck, unlike the lean body mass of the arms did not, after adjustment for age and weight in post-menopausal women. Conclusion: In preand post-menopausal Korean women, body composition, lean body mass, fat -free mass, and skeletal muscle mass were positive correlates, and fat mass and percent fat were negative correlates with the lumbar spine and femur BMD. (J Korean Soc Menopause 2010;16:29-38)