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Bone loss associated with a high fibre weight reduction diet in postmenopausal women
A Avenell1, P R Richmond, M E Lean
1Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK.
Objective:
To examine the effect of high fibre weight reduction on bone density in postmenopausal women.
Design:
Case-control study.
Setting:
Hospital outpatient dietetic clinic and Osteoporosis Screening Unit.
Subjects And Interventions:
Sixteen overweight volunteers who followed a high fibre reducing diet for 6 months, to lose 20% of excess body weight (above body mass index 25 kg/m2), and returned to their starting weight by the end of a further 6 months. Forty-six non-dieting controls, matched for age and years postmenopause, selected from screening unit volunteer register.
Results:
Annual percentage changes in lumbar spine bone mineral density, measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were: controls -2.5% (SE 0.5), dieters -4.8% (0.9), 95% confidence interval of difference between groups -0.2 to -4.3% (P = 0.03); femoral neck bone density controls -2.5% (0.5), dieters -2.1% (0.9), 95% confidence interval of difference -1.7 to 2.5% (P = 0.69).
Conclusions:
High fibre weight reduction in postmenopausal women significantly increased annual bone loss from the lumbar spine. This loss was not reversed by weight regain in the second 6 months. Repeated cycles of high fibre weight loss and weight gain may increase the risk of spinal osteoporosis.