Body Compositions Differently Contribute to BMD in Different Age and Gender: a Pilot Study by QCT

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the correlation between body compositions and bone mineral density (BMD) performed by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and to evaluate the body composition contribution to BMD.

Methods: Three hundred ninety-four participants, including 122 male (31%) and 272 female (69%), were divided into groups by gender, age, and BMD. BMD and body compositions [including fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), bone mass/lean mass ratio (B/L), fat mass/lean mass ratio (F/L), total adipose tissue (TAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT)] were retrospectively compared among groups using one-way ANOVA or t test. A stepwise multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the body composition contribution to BMD and produced models.

Results: In male, BMD got decreased with age (P < 0.05). LM increased before 30-49 years, then decreased (P < 0.05). TAT and SAT decreased with age (P < 0.05). LM in OP group was lower than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Through stepwise multivariate analysis, LM firstly got into model 1 (M1, β = 0.589). In female, BMD, LM TAT, and VAT were increased before 30-49 years, then decreased (P < 0.05). FM and F/L increased with age (P < 0.05). SAT decreased with age (P < 0.05). FM and F/L in OP group were higher than those in other groups. LM, B/L, TAT, and SAT in the OP group were lower than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). SAT entered the M1 with a maximum β value (β = 0.584).

Conclusions: BMD and body compositions displayed different characteristics with age. In male, LM showed positive effect on BMD. In female, SAT showed positive, and FM and F/L showed negative effect on BMD.