Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsObesity and Bone HealthObesity CausesOsteoporosis CausesTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Obesity and Bone Health
Obesity Causes
Osteoporosis Causes
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Researchers are not exactly sure howobesityaffects bone density, but recent studies have suggested that obesity andosteoporosismight be connected.
While obesity has been thought of in the past as protecting against osteoporosis, nearly 30% of people with osteoporosis areoverweight or have obesity.People with obesity who also have osteoporosis might be more prone to fractures from low-impact movements.
While the findings from studies on obesity and osteoporosis have been inconsistent, researchers are looking at a possible link between the two that could lead to obesity becoming another factor that drives the onset of this type ofbone disease.
Halfpoint / Getty Images
The Complications of Obesity
The long-held notion that carrying more weight means that a person has stronger bones is slowly being disproven. Recent reviews on the literature exploring obesity and bone health have found that several factors are at play when someone is carrying extra weight and what that means for their ability to maintain proper bone health.
Types of FatThere are three types of fat: brown, white, and beige.Brown fat,or “good fat,” helps the body with temperature regulation.White fataccumulates in the body and can contribute to health conditions.Beige fatcells come from white fat and are typically found near the spine and collarbone.Beige and brown fat can burn fat, while white fat stores it.
Types of Fat
There are three types of fat: brown, white, and beige.Brown fat,or “good fat,” helps the body with temperature regulation.White fataccumulates in the body and can contribute to health conditions.Beige fatcells come from white fat and are typically found near the spine and collarbone.Beige and brown fat can burn fat, while white fat stores it.
There are three types of fat: brown, white, and beige.
Beige and brown fat can burn fat, while white fat stores it.
Fat Tissue and Your Health
Bone marrow fat tissue also plays an important role in bone density and structure. The paper further found that because obesity is often correlated with nutrition imbalances (such as a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphorous), it is hard to determine exactly why obesity impacts bone health.
MisconceptionsIt has been a widely accepted notion that only frail, older adults develop osteoporosis; however, many factors contribute to the risk and onset of the disease.Older adults (especially women) are at a high risk of osteoporosis, but recent research on obesity and osteoporosis has found that being frail is not necessarily a prerequisite for this type of bone disease.
Misconceptions
It has been a widely accepted notion that only frail, older adults develop osteoporosis; however, many factors contribute to the risk and onset of the disease.Older adults (especially women) are at a high risk of osteoporosis, but recent research on obesity and osteoporosis has found that being frail is not necessarily a prerequisite for this type of bone disease.
It has been a widely accepted notion that only frail, older adults develop osteoporosis; however, many factors contribute to the risk and onset of the disease.
Older adults (especially women) are at a high risk of osteoporosis, but recent research on obesity and osteoporosis has found that being frail is not necessarily a prerequisite for this type of bone disease.
How Your Bones Change As You Get Older
Childhood Obesity
Decades of research on the connection between bone health andchildhood obesityhave found that it is a complex relationship.
Roughly 25% of a person’s bone mass is accrued during childhood. Studies have shown that because of how obesity affects bone mass as children grow, childhood obesity could increase both their risk for fractures as they get older as well as the development of osteoporosis.
Bone mass is thought to be reduced in children with obesity—a fact that’s contradictory to the previously held notion that larger children had higher bone mineral density.
It has also been found that if a child has a lower bone mass as they are growing, they will also have lower bone mass into adulthood, which could put them at a higher risk for osteoporosis in the future.
How Common Is Childhood Obesity?According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 14.4 million American children and adolescents have obesity—roughly 19.3% of the age group’s population in the United States.
How Common Is Childhood Obesity?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 14.4 million American children and adolescents have obesity—roughly 19.3% of the age group’s population in the United States.
How Is Childhood Obesity Treated?
However, many factors can contribute to the development of obesity, including:
The causes of osteoporosis and obesity share some similarities. Smoking, lack of sufficient weight-bearing exercise, aging, diet, as well as certain medical conditions and medications can increase the risk for both osteoporosis and obesity.
There are also a few other known risk factors for osteoporosis:
What Causes Osteoporosis?
Obesity and Osteoporosis Treatment
Weight loss can be difficult, especially if a person has factors that affect their weight (like certain medical conditions or medications) or they have not been given the tools and support that they need.
Still, losing weight is often an important component, not just of managing or treating certain health conditions, but preventing them as well.
Lifestyle Changes
8 Foods to Support Your Bone Health
Safe Exercises
If you have obesity, osteoporosis, or both, getting regular physical activity can be beneficial, but there are some steps you will want to take to make sure that you are exercising safely with these conditions.
Exercising With Osteoporosis
Exercising when you have osteoporosis will help maintain your bone health, as well as your muscle mass. However, if you haveweaker bones, there are some risks associated with certain types of exercise that can lead to a fracture.
What Are the Stages of Osteoporosis?
Verywell / Jessica Olah
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the following exercises are safe to do if you have osteoporosis:
If you find it hard to climb stairs, the National Osteoporosis Foundation suggests that you slowly introduce stairs as a basic exercise to help increase your ability.
Exercising With Obesity
People with obesity must take some precautions when they are exercising. For example, start with low-impact exercises, such as walking or swimming, to limit the stress on your body and joints.
You should ease into exercise slowly and build up to more strenuous activity over time. Examples of exercises you might want to try include:
Talk to Your DoctorAlways speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine. They can help determine which exercises will be safe and the most beneficial for you.
Talk to Your Doctor
Always speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine. They can help determine which exercises will be safe and the most beneficial for you.
Medication
Prescription medication for weight loss works in different ways. Some medications may cause you to feel full sooner, which leads you to eat fewer calories. Others hinder your body from absorbing the fat from the foods that you eat.
Typically, a prescription medication for weight loss is prescribed to people who have health issues related to obesity. While many people may think that taking medication to lose weight will eliminate the need for exercise and healthy eating, that is not true. The medications need to be taken to help a person live a healthier lifestyle.
Some prescription medications available to help with weight loss include:
How Effective Is Saxenda (Liraglutide) for Weight Loss?
Surgery
In some cases, people who need to lose weight will benefit from having surgery to help them meet their goals. However, a person must fall into the category ofextreme obesityon the body mass index (BMI) scale to be considered for these procedures.
There are three main types ofweight loss surgery:
Understanding the Risks of Gastrectomy or Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Weight loss surgeries can be done with a large cut made in the abdomen (open) or with tools to enter the abdomen through several small cuts (laparoscopically). Laparoscopic surgery also uses cameras to help the surgeon see inside the abdomen.
Natural Treatments
Not many natural remedies are scientifically proven to help reduce weight, but a few have been investigated, including:
Do Natural Remedies Really Work?There is some clinical evidence to back up the claims that natural remedies can lead to weight loss, but they should be treated as an addition to a healthier lifestyle rather than a “cure-all” solution.Modest weight loss may occur if you add in these natural remedies, but for long-term and lasting weight loss, you will need to implement more changes to your lifestyle and habits.
Do Natural Remedies Really Work?
There is some clinical evidence to back up the claims that natural remedies can lead to weight loss, but they should be treated as an addition to a healthier lifestyle rather than a “cure-all” solution.Modest weight loss may occur if you add in these natural remedies, but for long-term and lasting weight loss, you will need to implement more changes to your lifestyle and habits.
There is some clinical evidence to back up the claims that natural remedies can lead to weight loss, but they should be treated as an addition to a healthier lifestyle rather than a “cure-all” solution.
Modest weight loss may occur if you add in these natural remedies, but for long-term and lasting weight loss, you will need to implement more changes to your lifestyle and habits.
Can Acupuncture Help You Lose Weight?
Summary
Combined with the recent research that suggests that obesity affects bone health, having obesity could also contribute to your risk of developing osteoporosis.
A Word From Verywell
There are ways to reduce your risk of obesity and osteoporosis, including eating a nutritious diet and getting more physically active. Talk to your doctor about the support you need to lose and maintain a weight that is most healthy for you.
Why Is Osteoporosis More Common in Women?
Frequently Asked QuestionsRecent research has shown that obesity does have an effect on bone density. In particular, people with obesity have a lower bone density in relation to their body weight, as well as an increased risk of fractures.Having excess body weight as a child can affect the development of bone, which can lead to an increase in bone frailty as a person ages.While there is limited research on childhood obesity and osteopenia, it is thought that there is a connection between bone density and being overweight or having obesity in childhood.Eating a diet that is rich in the nutrients needed for strong bones (such as vitamin D and calcium) is a good place to start. Performing strength training exercises—as long as your doctor says they are safe for you—can also be helpful. Studies have shown that losing weight may help increase your bone mineral density.Learn MoreNutrients You Need for Bone Health
Recent research has shown that obesity does have an effect on bone density. In particular, people with obesity have a lower bone density in relation to their body weight, as well as an increased risk of fractures.
Having excess body weight as a child can affect the development of bone, which can lead to an increase in bone frailty as a person ages.While there is limited research on childhood obesity and osteopenia, it is thought that there is a connection between bone density and being overweight or having obesity in childhood.
Eating a diet that is rich in the nutrients needed for strong bones (such as vitamin D and calcium) is a good place to start. Performing strength training exercises—as long as your doctor says they are safe for you—can also be helpful. Studies have shown that losing weight may help increase your bone mineral density.Learn MoreNutrients You Need for Bone Health
Eating a diet that is rich in the nutrients needed for strong bones (such as vitamin D and calcium) is a good place to start. Performing strength training exercises—as long as your doctor says they are safe for you—can also be helpful. Studies have shown that losing weight may help increase your bone mineral density.
Learn MoreNutrients You Need for Bone Health
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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