Osteoporosis can cause your bones to become fragile so they break with very little pressure. Sometimes even coughing can cause a person with osteoporosis to break a bone. Although a lack of calcium in the diet can make you more likely to develop osteoporosis, having a low body mass index is also a risk factor.
Low BMI and Osteoporosis
Weight-bearing activity can strengthen your bones. If you weigh very little, such as when your body mass index, or BMI, is less than 19, you build up less bone mass even if you exercise. Older women are not the only ones at risk for these fractures. A study published in 2009 in the journal "Osteoporosis International" found that women between the ages of 40 and 59 with low BMIs were also more likely to have bone fractures due to osteoporosis.
Obesity and Osteoporosis
You are considered obese if you have a BMI of 30 or greater. Obesity increases your risk for a number of health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. However, having a BMI above 30 may provide a protective effect against osteoporosis-related fractures of the femoral neck bone in healthy elderly individuals, according to a study published in the journal "Nutrition" in 2004.
Considerations
Although higher BMIs are linked to a lower risk of osteoporosis, this does not justify becoming obese. Higher percentages of body fat may be linked to higher risk for osteoporosis as well, according to a study published in 2007 in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism."
Potential
Increasing your lean body mass, meaning your muscle, can help to protect you against osteoporosis. Engaging in weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, and strength training can help you to increase both your muscle mass and your bone density. This is true no matter how old you are. Having more muscle also makes you stronger so it is easier for you to get around and live a more fulfilling life as you get older.
Benefits
Strength training to increase your muscle mass not only lowers your risk for osteoporosis, it also makes it less likely you will suffer from a fall, decreases arthritis pain, helps you maintain a healthy weight, lowers your risk for heart disease and helps you sleep better. All it takes is lifting weights two or three days each week and increasing the weight you use as you get stronger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Osteoporosis
- PubMed.gov: Weight and body mass index predict bone mineral density and fractures in women aged 40 to 59 years
- PubMed.gov: A high body mass index protects against femoral neck osteoporosis in healthy elderly subjects
- "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism"; Relationship of Obesity with Osteoporosis; Lan-Juan Zhao; 2007
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Growing Stronger - Strength Training for Older Adults
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