Negative association between habitual dietary calcium intake, BMI, and body fat mass in postmenopausal women

Abstract

Obesity has become a national public health epidemic in the past several decades. The high prevalence of obesity in the world has provoked great interest in identifying strategies that can help prevent weight gain. Increasing calcium intake is one potential approach to weight management that has received much attention. To investigate the relationship between BMI, body fat, and habitual calcium intake, a diet history questionnaire designed to measure dietary calcium intake was administered to 120 postmenopausal women. Participants were divided into three groups based on their BMI values: 1) normal (18.5–24.9); 2) overweight (25–29.9); and 3) obese (≥30). Body fat and BMD were measured using DXA. Calcium intake was negatively correlated with BMI and body fat in this population. Overweight and obese individuals had lower calcium intake compared to individuals with normal BMI. Interestingly, BMD was not correlated with habitual calcium intake in this population except for the ulna BMD. However, when the ulna BMD was compared between individuals with lower (<1200 mg) and higher (>1200 mg) calcium intake, the differences were not statistically significant. These results are in agreement with previous hypotheses regarding calcium intake and improved weight management. Further investigation is necessary to better define the relationship between BMD and habitual dietary calcium intake.