When older adults lose weight, they may also lose significant bone mineral density, putting them at an increased risk of fractures, according to a new study published in the journal Obesity.
Wake Forest University researchers took bone health measurements from 77 middle-aged and senior adults before, during and after an 18-month weight loss program. A year after the intervention, participants were found to have persistent loss of hip bone mineral density, whether or not they regained the weight they’d lost, reported nutrition scientist Kristen Beavers, Ph.D.
With these results in mind, Beavers and colleagues recommend that weight loss interventions in older adults encourage loss of fat mass while preventing loss of lean mass, in order to optimize bone health.
Lean mass includes muscle, which can be maintained during weight loss by refraining from drastic calorie reduction, eating nutrient-dense foods and performing total-body strength exercises, according to the National Institutes of Health.
