Abstract
Low bone mineral density (BMD) is common in older adults, occurring in up to 56% of women over age 50 years. This condition increases the risk for falls, fractures and restricted independence. Limited research exists on the combined effect of diet and exercise interventions on BMD in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a behaviorally‐based diet and exercise intervention on BMD in older obese women. Twenty‐six obese women (mean age 61.5±6.0 years; mean body mass index 34.3±4.0 kg/m2; mean total BMD T‐score: 1.1±0.1) were randomly assigned to either a diet education group (DE) (n=13) or a diet education plus Tai Chi group (DETC) (n=13) for 16 weeks. Both groups received 45 minutes of diet education per week for 16 weeks. Those in DETC also participated in three 45 minute Tai Chi classes three times a week. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to evaluate total body and femoral BMD. There was no significant change in total body (DE 1.08±0.3 vs 1.09±0.3 and DERT 0.93±0.3 vs 1.00±0.3) or femoral BMD (DE 0.98±0.12 vs 0.97±0.05 and DERT 1.00±0.9 vs 1.00±0.08) in both groups. The combination of diet education and Tai Chi did not impact BMD more than diet education alone. This may be due to the short duration of the study. Further research is needed to clarify the separate and/or combined roles of diet education and Tai Chi in this population and to study the long‐term effects.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.