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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Nutritional status, as determined by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, and osteoporosis: a cross-sectional study of an
H Salminen1, M Sääf, S-E Johansson
1Centre for Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. helena.salminen@klinvet.ki.se
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between osteoporosis and nutritional status as determined by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA).
Design:
A cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Stockholm, Sweden.
Subjects:
A total of 351 elderly free-living women (mean age 73+/-2.3 years).
Methods:
MNA (range 0-30 points; <17 indicates malnutrition, 17.5-23.5 risk of malnutrition and >or=24 well nourished), measurements of bone mineral density of the left hip and lumbar spine using Hologic QDR 4500, and of the heel using Calscan DEXA-T.
Results:
The median MNA score was 27 (range 12.5-30). One woman was classified as malnourished and 7.4% were at risk of malnutrition. Osteoporosis of the femoral neck was observed in 22% and a fracture after the age of 50 was reported by 31% of the participants. The following items in the MNA questionnaire exhibited an increased risk of having osteoporosis in the femoral neck and/or total hip: an MNA score of <27 (odds ratio (OR)=2.09; CI=1.14-3.83); a mid-arm circumference of less than 28 cm (OR=2.97; CI=1.29-6.81); and regular use of more than 3 drugs each day (OR=2.12; CI=1.00-4.50). A body weight of more than 70 kg exhibited a decreased risk of having osteoporosis (OR=0.31; CI=0.14-0.70).
Conclusions:
In general, the nutritional status was good in this population of free-living elderly women. Nevertheless, half of the women who displayed an MNA score <27 points had a twofold increased risk of having osteoporosis.
Sponsorship:
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm County Council.
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