Weight Control and Bone Density During the Menopausal Transition

Women typically gain weight during the menopausal transition, but do efforts to curb this weight gain affect bone-mineral density (BMD)? That question was addressed in a randomized trial involving 373 premenopausal white women (age range at study entry, 44–50).

Participants were assigned to a 5-year behavior modification program (low-fat diet, exercise, and weight-loss intervention) or to a control group. All participants were given a modest weight-loss goal based on baseline body-mass index; mean BMI was 25. In an assessment at 54 months, intervention participants had lost an average of 0.4 kg whereas controls had gained an average of 2.6 kg. During the study, total hip and femoral neck BMD (but not spine or total body BMD) decreased signif…