As women get older, it’s a common problem: Weakened, brittle bones that often signal the start of osteoporosis. And while genetics–and eating a poor diet–are often responsible for weaker bones, research now shows there’s something else to worry about out.
So what is? Unfortunately, it’s obesity.
“It used to be the thinking that the heavier you were the better your bones would be because the bones were supporting more weight,” says Jasminka Ilich-Ernst, a Hazel Stiebeling Professor of Nutrition at Florida State University. “But, that’s only true to a certain extent.”
In fact, Ilich-Ernst’s findings–set to be published in the May issue of Ageing Research Reviews–led her to discover obesity could cause a separate bone loss syndrome, called osteosarcopenic obesity. This syndrome specifically shows that obesity increases the risk of breaking bones and falling, due to the pressure of the excess weight on the bones, something that could be just as devastating as osteoporosis.
For Ilich-Ernst, it’s a troubling new discovery.
“Many factors impact bones,” says Ilich-Ernst. “This developed as a logical way to move forward to look at everything together and not just focus on one area.”
What She Found
Knowing that obesity and bone problems were related in some way, Ilich-Ernst originally began her research a few years ago while looking at the connections between bone, muscle and fat mass–noting that scientists simply weren’t looking at the effects of fat mass on bones. Instead, she decided to head the research herself, looking at the files of 200 women who had previously participated in scientific studies. In these studies, she had measured their bone density and fat tissue for different reasons, but now again they would come into play.
After reviewing the results, she saw her efforts hadn’t gone to waste: Those who had weakened bones also had 30 percent more fat tissue.
Essentially, there was a connection between having more fat and having less bone mass.
“This would be a triad problem for older women,” says Ilich-Ernst. “They cannot perform as well. They cannot walk as fast. They cannot walk the stairs well or stand up and sit down multiple times without being winded or in pain.”
In light of this, Ilich-Ernst does note that women often gain weight as they get older–as do men–but gaining excessive weight seemed to exacerbate their bone problems in this case. In turn, she recommends that older women need to watch their weight if they want to keep their bones healthy.
“They have a higher risk of falling and breaking a bone or encountering other disabilities,” says Ilich-Ernst.
What You Should Do
Getting older? While weight gain is a common symptom of a slower metabolism, you don’t need to give in. To keep weight gain to a minimum, focus on building extra muscle through strength training–not only will this raise your metabolism, it also helps strengthen your bones and counteract the effects of weight gain and old age.
Readers: What else do you do to keep your bones healthy?
Source:
Study: Obesity Could Cause Bone Problems in Older Women – ScienceDaily.com
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