The Abdominal Obesity and the Bone Mineral Density are Negatively Correlated by the Factors of Gender and Menopause in Korean Adults

Objectives: Osteoporosis is one of the key problems of public health in the elderly. This study was performed to understand how abdominal obesity affects bone mineral density (BMD). Methods: We selected 6,333 participants aged 19–93 years (2,908 men, 1,987 pre-menopausal and 1,438 post-menopausal women) from the data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (KNHANES 2008–2009). Waist circumference value was set as an index of abdominal obesity. Demographic, social, and clinical parameters were investigated as potential risk factors of BMD. Findings: BMD were positively affected by exercise, income, and education (p < 0.001). Women’s fat mass (FM) showed a positive correlation with BMD. The total lean mass (TLM) of all groups strongly correlated to BMD (p < 0.0001). Our models suggest that abdominal obesity has a strong negative relationship with BMD in Korean men and pre-menopausal women with statistical significance (standardized β = -0.111, P<0.0001 and standardized β = -0.097, P<0.0001, respectively) but not in the case of postmenopausal women. A narrow waist and lean body weight favor high BMD. Applications: Our study suggests that separate preventive programs should be recommended for each group of men and pre- and post-menopausal women in Korea.