Fat and bone.
Body weight is a principal determinant of bone density and fracture risk, and adipose tissue mass is a major contributor to this relationship. In contrast, some recent studies have argued that "fat mass after adjustment for body weight" actually has a deleterious effect on bone, but these analyses are confounded by the co-linearity between the variables studied, and therefore have produced misleading results. Mechanistically, fat and bone are linked by a multitude of pathways, which ultimately serve the function of providing a skeleton appropriate to the mass of adipose tissue it is carrying. Adiponectin, insulin/amylin/preptin, leptin and adipocytic estrogens are all likely to be involved in this connection. In the clinic, the key issues are that obesity is protective against osteoporosis, but underweight is a major preventable risk factor for fractures.
Reid
Ian R
IR
Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. i.reid@auckland.ac.nz
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans
D006728:Hormones