Changes in Bone Mineral Density and Trabecular Bone Score over Time between Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Middle-Aged and Older Women: A Three-Year Retrospective Medical Record Review
Abstract
The effect of a vegetarian diet on bone health remains controversial. This retrospective medical record review compared changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS) between vegetarian and non-vegetarian middle-aged and older women who underwent two general health examinations (T1 and T2) that were approximately three years apart. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the change in lumbar spine and bilateral hip BMD and TBS over time. At T1, the mean age of the patients was 56.6 years (standard deviation 9.7 years) and the mean interval between T1 and T2 was 2.7 years. For women aged 40-55 years, compared with non-vegetarians, vegetarians were significantly associated with a larger reduction in lumbar spine BMD (p < 0.001) and left hip femoral neck BMD (p = 0.015) over the three-year interval. On the contrary, changes in BMD were not significant at any site in women aged ≥ 56 years. Moreover, the changes in BMD and TBS over the three-year interval did not significantly differ between vegetarian and non-vegetarian women aged 65-90 years. In conclusion, for women aged 40-55 years, vegetarian diets reduced bone quantity, as measured by BMD, but not bone quality, as measured by TBS.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Development of a crushable foam model for human trabecular bone
- Data-driven motion compensation in HR-pQCT.
- Modeling of structure, quality, and function in the orthodontic patient
- Exploring the mechanism of Heidihuang Pill in the treatment of osteoporosis based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation
- Effect of fabric on the accuracy of computed tomography-based finite element analyses of the vertebra
- Use of interventions involving virtual reality tasks during the climacteric: a systematic review
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.