The lifestyle of weight loss changes the loss of slow bone in the elderly

A study reveals that a Mediterranean regime limited in calories associated with physical activity preserves bone health in the elderly with metabolic syndrome – in particular women – illuminating a promising approach to prevent age -related osteoporosis.

Study: Mediterranean diet, physical activity and bone health in the elderly: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Image credit: Shutterstock Ai Generator / Shutterstock.com

A recent Jama Network Open The study assesses the effects of a lifestyle of weight loss lifestyle on age -related bone deterioration.

Aging and bone health

Aging is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and total bone mineral content (BMC), which increases the risk of osteoporotic fractures. As the world’s population continues to age, the prevalence of osteoporosis, which is associated with a reduced quality of life and significant morbidity of patients, has also increased. Thus, it is crucial to identify behavioral interventions that can mitigate the effects of osteoporosis to reduce the burden of this disease in the global health care sector.

A balanced diet and regular physical activity are effective strategies that have proven to prevent osteoporotic fractures, especially among the populations of vulnerable patients such as the elderly and obese. Since weight loss is frequently recommended to manage obesity conditions, it is essential to determine the role of these bone health strategies to support the development of more effective weight loss strategies with a minimum impact on age -related bone deterioration.

Membership of a healthy diet during the weight loss energy reduction phase could support the maintenance of sufficient DMO and BMC. To date, several studies have reported the advantages of the Mediterranean diet on bone health, regardless of the age of an individual. However, few studies have analyzed the effect of eating diets designed for weight loss to manage obesity and osteoporotic risk.

About the study

The randomized randomized clinical trial of the Precentión Con Dieta Méditerránea (predimed-plus) was carried out in twenty-three health care centers in Spain. Here, the researchers have studied the effects of a multifactorial intervention on age -linked DMO, total BMC and low prevalence of DMO in the elderly with metabolic syndrome and overweight or obesity over three years of follow -up.

Various interventions based on the lifestyle considered in this analysis included a Mediterranean diet reduced to energy, increased physical activity and behavioral support.

Adults living in the community between 55 and 75 years old with at least three metabolic syndromes and were overweight or obese have been recruited to participate. Initially, 6,874 eligible participants were randomly assigned to the control group or the intervention group, laminated by center, sex and age at a 1: 1 ratio.

The control group was advised to follow a traditional Mediterranean diet ad Libitum without energy restriction or specific recommendations for physical activity. Compared, the intervention group has received specific Mediterranean regime recommendations with an energy reduction of 30%. The intervention cohort has also received advice to gradually increase its levels of physical activity to meet the recommended criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) for adults aged 65 and over.

In addition to physical activity and diet, study participants were subject to behavioral and motivation strategies to facilitate the sustainable adoption of food and lifestyle. The double energy X -ray absorptiometry (DXA) was also used to assess the BMD variables and the Total BMC at the start, as well as one and three years of follow -up.

The targeted lifestyle changes lead to stronger bones in the elderly

A total of 924 people with data from scan metabolic syndrome and DXA included in the final study cohort. Initially, 464 participants in the study were included in the control group and 460 in the intervention group, 49.1% of which were women with an average age of 65.1 years.

Compared to witnesses, the intervention group experienced a greater reduction in total body weight by 3.3% and 3% over one and three years, respectively. A significant difference in total body weight changes was observed between the two groups at -2.8 kg and -2.2 kg after one and three years, respectively.

After adjusting for several covariable factors such as smoking status, age, sex, level of education and medical history, significant differences in the average changes between groups have been observed.

For example, compared to witnesses, participants in the study of the intervention group showed a global increase in the Lumbar column DMO (L1-L4) after three years. In addition, a protection association was established in women but not in men.

The intention of intention to deal with revealed that after three years, an increase in the total femur, the lumbar column (L1-L4) and the femoral dmo trochanter occurred in the women of the intervention group compared to witnesses. Likewise, the case analysis of the complex also indicated that after three years, women in the intervention showed a higher increase in the Lumbar column DMO (L1-L4) compared to witnesses.

The results of the sensitivity analysis were consistent with these results. In particular, the global intervention effect over three years was more significant for the total BMC in women compared to men.

Conclusions

A modest hypocaloric Mediterranean regime combined with physical activity has had a deeper effect on bone health in elderly women with metabolic syndrome, in particular at the lumbar level, compared to the Mediterranean diet recommendations.

Additional studies are needed to assess the impact of this weight loss loss lifestyle intervention on longer monitoring periods. However, the results of the study support the integration of this intervention in future public health strategies aimed at reducing the prevalence of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly.