Reduction in body cell mass as a predictor of osteoporosis: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: Improvement of nutritional status, which may help prevent osteoporosis, can be assessed using the body cell mass (BCM) index, measured by the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). However, the relationship between BCM and osteoporosis is not clear. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between osteoporosis and four components of body composition, including BCM.

Methods: The study included 600 participants who underwent measurements of bone status by quantitative ultrasound and body composition by BIA at an annual health check-up. Normal and osteoporosis groups were compared.

Results: There were 414 and 186 participants in the normal and osteoporosis groups, respectively. Significant differences between the two groups were observed in age, sex, height, weight, BCM, extracellular water (ECW) content, and minerals, even after adjusting for age and sex. In logistic regression analysis, BCM, age, and ECW were significant risk factors for osteoporosis. Furthermore, BCM and ECW in males and BCM and age in females were significant risk factors for osteoporosis.

Conclusion: Of the four body composition components measured with BIA, reduction in BCM most reflected osteoporosis. BCM was a significant risk factor in both sexes for osteoporosis. BCM can be easily measured, and may be useful in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Keywords:

• Bioelectrical impedance analysis
• body cell mass
• body composition
• osteoporosis
• quantitative ultrasound

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the staff of the Comprehensive Health Care Program held in Yakumo, Hokkaido, and Ms. Aya Hemmi and Ms. Hiroko Ino of Nagoya University for their assistance throughout this study.

Conflict of interest

None.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare Grants-in Aid for Scientific Research (C) (18K09102). No other funds were received in support of this work.