Effects of Nutrition and Alcohol Consumption on Bone Loss

It is well established that excessive consumption of high-fat diets results in obesity. However, the consequences of obesity on skeletal development, maturation, and remodeling have been the subject of controversy. New studies suggest that the response of the growing skeleton to mechanical loading is impaired and trabecular bone mass is decreased in obesity and after high-fat feeding. At least in part, this occurs as a direct result of inhibited Wnt signaling and activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) pathways in mesenchymal stem cells by fatty acids. Similar effects on Wnt and PPAR-γ signaling occur after chronic alcohol consumption as the result of oxidative stress and result in inhibited bone formation accompanied by increased bone marrow adiposity. Alcohol-induced oxidative stress as the result of increased NADPH-oxidase activity in bone cells also results in enhanced RANKL-RANK signaling to increase osteoclastogenesis. In contrast, consumption of fruits and legumes such as blueberries and soy increase bone formation. New data suggest that Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways are the molecular targets for bone anabolic factors derived from the diet.