Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Associations between body morphology and bone mineral density in premenopausal women

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To investigate whether body morphology, obesity and its long time evolution were associated with lumbar and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women of the same age. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: 72 healthy premenopausal women born in 1950 (42 years) with a regular physical activity. Measurements: BMD measured by dual-X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at lumbar spine and proximal femur; body weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI at 20 years (BMI-20), increase in BMI since age of 20 (BMI->20), body circumferences (breast, waist, hip) and their ratios (WHR, BHR, WBR), smoking and alcohol intake. Results: Lumbar spine BMD did not correlate with any anthropometric measurement. Femoral BMDs correlated positively with weight, BMI, BMI-20, breast, waist, WHR and BHR. The BMI-20 explained the 5% and the current BMI the 13% of variance of total femur BMD. After adjustment for weight or BMI, breast circumference and BHR remained significantly correlated with all femoral BMDs sites except neck. Weight was the best predictor for neck BMD (R2 = 0.08; p < 0.02), and BHR for Ward's triangle (R2 = 0.12; p < 0.01) and trochanter (R2 = 0.10; p < 0.001). Alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, and age of menarche were not related to BMDs. Conclusion: In premenopausal women of the same age, lumbar spine BMD was not associated with any anthropometric measurement. Greater BHR and its long time of evolution may be determinants of greater femoral BMD (trabecular), whereas body weight may be determinant of femoral neck BMD (cortical). Further studies are needed to determine whether large breast to hip ratio may be considered as a protective factor for femoral osteoporosis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  1. Shiraki M, Ito H, Fujimaki H, Higuchi T. Relation between body size and bone mineral density with special reference to sex hormones and calcium regulating hormones in elderly females. Endocrinol Jpn 1991; 38: 343–349.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Steinberg KK, Freni-Titulaer LW, DePuey EG, et al. Sex steroids and bone density in premenopausal and perimenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1989; 69: 533–539.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lindsay R, Cosman F, Herrington BS, Himmelstein S. Bonee mass and body composition in normal women. J Bone Miner Res 1992; 7: 55–63.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Edelstein SL, Barrett-Connor E. Relation between body size and bone mineral density in elderly men and women. Am J Epidemiol 1993; 138: 160–169.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Trevisan C, Ortolani S, Bianchi ML, et al. Age, time since menopause, and body parameters as determinants of female spinal bone mass: A mathematical model. Calcif Tissue Int 1991; 49: 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Reid IR, Ames R, Evans MC, et al. Determinants of total body and regional bone mineral density in normal postmenopausal women: A key role for fat mass. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1992; 75: 45–51.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Haffner SM, Bauer RL. Excess androgenicity only partially explains the relationship between obesity and bone density in premenopausal women. Int J Obes 1992; 16: 869–874.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sowers MFR, Galuska DA. Epidemiology of bone mass in premenopausal women. Epidemiol Rev 1993; 15: 374–398.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Franceschi S, Schinella D, Bidoli E, et al. The influence of body size, smoking and diet on bone density in pre-and postmenopausal women. Epidemiology 1996; 7: 411–414.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Spector TD, Thompson PW, Perry LA, et al. The relationship between sex steroids and bone mineral content in women soon after the menopause. Clin Endocrinol 1991; 34: 37–41.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Armamento-Villareal R, Villareal DT, Avioli LV, Civitelli R. Estrogen status and heredity are major determinants of premenopausal bone mass. J Clin Invest 1992; 90: 2464–2471.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Report of a WHO study group. Assessment of fracture risk and its application to screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Geneve, Switzerland: WHO, Technical Report Series, No. 843, 1994.

  13. Halioua L, Anderson JJB. Age and anthropometric determinants of radial bone mass in premenopausal caucasian women: A cross-sectional study. Osteoporosis Int 1990; 1: 50–55.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Orozco P, Ruiz R, Miro J, Valles A. Influencia de la obesidad y su distribucion corporal en el perfil lipidico de 110 mujeres premenopausicas españolas de 41 años. Clin Invest Arteriosclerosis 1994; 6: 169–175.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Seidell JC, Cigolini M, Charzewska J, Ellsinger BM, Di Biasi G. Fat distribution in European women: A comparison of anthropometric measurements in relation to cardiovascular risk factors. Int J Epidemio 1990; 19: 303–308.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Välimäki MJ, Kärkkäinen M, Lamberg-Allardt C, et al. Exercise, smoking, and calcium intake during adolescence and early adulthood as determinants of peak bone mass. Br Med J 1994; 309: 230–235.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Christiansen C, Riis BJ, Rødbro P. Screening procedure for women at risk of developing postmenopausal osteoporosis. Osteoporosis Int 1990; 1: 35–40.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Heiss CJ, Sanborn CF, Nichols DL, Bonnick SL, Alford BB. Associations of body fat distribution, circulating sex hormones, and bone density in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995; 80: 1591–1596.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Evans DJ, Hoffmann RG, Kalkhoff RK, Kissebah AH. Relationship of androgenic activity to body fat topography, fat cell morphology, and metabolic aberrations in premenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1983; 57: 304–310.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Weaver JU, Holly MP, Kopelman PG, et al. Decreased sex hormone binding globuline (SHBG) and insulin-like growth binding protein (IGFBP-I) in extreme obesity. Clin Endocrinol 1990; 33: 415–422.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Albert A, et al. Relationship between whole plasma calcitonin levels, calcitonin secretory capacity, and plasma levels of estrone in healthy women and postmenopausal osteoporotics. J Clin Invest 1989; 83: 1073–1077.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Navarro MA, Alia P, Ruiz R, Valles A, Orozco P. Relacion de SHBG, testosterona en suero y saliva con la morfologia corporal en mujeres premenopausicas de una población general. Med Clin (Barc) 1996; 106: 405–408.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kaye SA, Folson AR, Soler JT, Prineas RJ, Potter JD. Associations of body mass and fat distribution with sex hormone concentration in postmenopausal women. Int J Epidemiol 1991; 20: 151–156.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Haffner SM, Katz MS, Dunn JF. Increased upper body and overall adiposity is associated with decreased sex hormone binding globulin in postmenopausal women. Int J Obes 1991; 15: 471–478.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Svendsen OL, Hassager C, Christiansen C. Relationships and independence of body composition, sex hormones, fat distribution and other cardiovascular risk factors in overweight postmenopausal women. Int J Obes 1993; 17: 459–463.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Kirchengast S. Interaction between sex hormone levels and body dimensions in postmenopausal women. Human Biology 1994; 66: 481–494.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Grupo de trabajo en osteoporosis (GTO). Estudio de la densidad osea de la población española. AHOEMO-SEIOMM-RPR. Ed Pharma Consult. Madrid, 1992, pp 119–127.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Daniel M, Martin AD, Drinkwater DT. Cigarette smoking, steroid hormones, and bone mineral density in young women. Calcif Tissue Int 1992; 50: 300–305.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hollenbach KA, Barret-Connor E, Edelstein SL, Holbrook T. Cigarette smoking and bone mineral density in older men and women. Am J Public Health 1993; 83: 1265–1270.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Peris P, Pares A, Guanabens N, et al. Reduced spinal and femoral bone mass and deranged bone mineral metabolism in chronic alcoholics. Alcohol Alcohol 1992; 27: 619–625.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Holbrook TL, Barret-Connor E. A prospective study of alcohol consumption and bone mineral density. BMJ 1993; 306: 1506–1509.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ortego-Centeno N, Muñoz-Torres M, Hernandez-Quero J, Jurado-Duce A, de la Higuera Torres-Puchol J. Bone mineral density, sex steroids, and mineral metabolism in premenopausal smokers. Calcif Tissue Int 1994; 55: 403–407.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Egger P, Duggleby S, Hobbs R, Fall C, Cooper C. Cigarette smoking and bone mineral density in the elderly. J. Epid Comm Health 1996; 50: 47–50.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Medicina General, ABS Gotic, Barcelona, Spain

    P. Orozco

  2. Servicio de Reumatologia, Hospital de Bellvitge Princeps d'Espanya, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

    J.M. Nolla

Authors
  1. P. Orozco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J.M. Nolla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Orozco, P., Nolla, J. Associations between body morphology and bone mineral density in premenopausal women. Eur J Epidemiol 13, 919–924 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007309722100

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007309722100

Search

Navigation