OBJECTIVES

The cardiometabolic index (CMI) serves as a comprehensive metric for evaluating cardiometabolic health, and is correlated with several health outcomes. However, research examining the relationship between CMI and bone mineral density (BMD), particularly in adolescent populations, remains limited and warrants further investigation.

METHODS

The weighted multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to elucidate the association between CMI and BMD.

RESULTS

Our study ultimately included 1,514 participants. After adjusting for pertinent covariates, we observed that per-unit increases in the CMI corresponded with reductions in BMD by 0.052 g/cm for femoral neck (=-0.052, 95% CI: -0.087 to -0.018) and 0.048 g/cm for lumbar spine (L1-L4) (=-0.048, 95% CI: -0.085 to -0.011). In quartile analyses, individuals in the highest quartile displayed significantly reduced BMD at the femoral neck (=-0.036, 95% CI: -0.064 to -0.007) and lumbar spine (L1-L4) (=-0.041, 95% CI: -0.070 to -0.011) compared to those in the lowest quartile (<0.05). No statistical significance was detected between CMI and BMD at the total femur, trochanter, and intertrochanter sites. Furthermore, stratified analyses indicated no significant interactions involving age, sex, or race in relation to CMI and BMD.

CONCLUSIONS

In the adolescent population, CMI is inversely related to BMD. These findings highlight a potential link between cardiometabolic health and bone health. Future longitudinal investigations are warranted to determine causal relationships and underlying mechanisms.