Je. Pritchard et al., BONE LOSS ACCOMPANYING DIET-INDUCED OR EXERCISE-INDUCED WEIGHT-LOSS -A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-STUDY, International journal of obesity, 20(6), 1996, pp. 513-520
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of two weight loss interventions, di
et or exercise, on changes in bone, fat and lean tissue. DESIGN: Prosp
ective, long term, worksite, randomised and controlled weight-loss stu
dy using a low fat diet ad libitum or moderate aerobic exercise. SUBJE
CTS: 66 overweight men (mean age 43.4 +/- 5.7 y, BMI 29.0 +/- 2.6 kg/m
(2)). MEASUREMENTS: Body weight, lean mass, fat mass, bone mass (BMC).
bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESUL
TS: Dieters lost 1.4% BMC (1.5% BMD) with 6.4 kg weight loss; there wa
s no significant change in BMC (or in BMD) in exercisers (2.6 kg weigh
t loss) or in control subjects (no weight change). Changes in BMC were
correlated with fat loss with both interventions: 11.7 g BMC/kg fat l
oss in dieters, 11.4 g BMC change/kg fat loss in exercisers. CONCLUSIO
N: BMC loss with diet-induced weight loss reflects loss of weight and
especially loss of body fat. Further study to determine whether simila
r BMC loss will accompany equivalent weight loss induced by exercise i
s needed.