Total and regional bone mineral density are associated with cellular health in older men and women.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between crude bioimpedance variables with bone mineral density (BMD) in older adults.

METHOD

One hundred eighty-four older men and women (≥ 60 years old) composed the sample. BMD (whole-body) was measured through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bioimpedance spectroscopy was used to estimate whole-body resistance and reactance as well as to calculate the phase angle (PhA) and fat-free mass (FFM). Age, gender, body mass, FFM, height, calcium intake, vitamin D intake, number of fractures, number of diseases, and number of medications were included as covariates in the regression analyses.

RESULTS

BMD fractions were significantly (P < 0.01) associated with PhA (femur: r = 0.524; neck: r = 0.450; and forearm: r = 0.437). Independently of age, body mass, FFM, calcium intake, vitamin D, number of diseases, fratures and medications, PhA remains a significant explanator of the variability of total (β = 0.22; P < 0.001), femur (β = 0.10; P = 0.018), and neck BMD (β = 0.07; P = 0.05) for men, and total (β = 0.08; P = 0.002), femur (β = 0.06; P = 0.005), neck (β = 0.04; P = 0.03), and forearm BMD (β = 0.05; P = 0.004) for women.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that a higher PhA is associated with BMD in older men and women fractions regardless of relevant covariates highlighting the biological meaning of this simple and crude bioimpedance-based measure in the elderly population.