Weight loss in men in late life is associated with lower peripheral bone strength and total bone mineral density (BMD), with global measures reflecting cortical, but not trabecular, parameters, a recent study found. Researchers used data from 1,723 community-dwelling men (mean age 84.5 years) who attended the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Year (Y) 14 exam and had high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) scans at ≥1 skeletal sites (distal tibia, distal radius, or diaphyseal tibia). Weight change from Y7 to Y14 exams (mean 7.3 years between exams) was classified as moderate weight loss (loss ≥10%), mild weight loss (loss 5 to <10%), stable weight (<5% change), or weight gain (gain ≥ 5%). They found:

• Failure load and total BMD at distal sites were lower with greater weight loss with 7.0–7.6% lower failure loads and 4.3–5.8% lower BMDs among men with moderate weight loss compared to those with stable weight.
• Cortical, but not trabecular, BMDs at distal sites were lower with greater weight loss.
• Greater weight loss was associated with lower cortical thickness at all 3 skeletal sites.