Influence of being overweight on bone mineral apparent density in a group of Lebanese adolescent girls

Objective: To explore the effects of being overweight on lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck (FN) bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) in a group of Lebanese adolescent girls.

Results: Forty-two Lebanese postmenarchal adolescent girls participated in this study (22 overweight [BMI > 25 kg/m2] adolescent girls [15.4 +/- 2.4 years old] and 20 maturation-matched [15.2 +/- 1.9 years old] controls [BMI < 25 kg/m2]). Body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Calculation of the BMAD was completed for the FN and for the L2-L4. FN and L2-L4 BMAD values were higher (p < 0.01) in overweight girls compared to normal-weighted girls. In the whole population, fat mass was a positive determinant of L2-L4 and FN BMAD (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 respectively).

Conclusions: In this study group, being overweight is associated with higher L2-L4 and femoral neck BMAD values.