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This study examines the effects of weight loss by caloric restriction (WL) and aerobic exercise plus weight loss (AEx+WL) on total and regional bone mineral density (BMD) in older women. Healthy, postmenopausal women age 63 +/- 1 (SE) yr not on hormone-replacement therapy underwent 6 mo of WL (n = 15) consisting of dietary counseling one time per week with a caloric deficit (250-350 kcal/day) or AEx+WL (n = 15) consisting of treadmill exercise three times per week in addition to the weight loss. Maximal aerobic capacity increased only in the AEx+WL group (P < 0. 001). Body weight, percent fat, and fat mass decreased similarly in both groups (P < 0.005), with no changes in fat-free mass. Total body BMD (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). Femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and greater trochanter BMD decreased in the WL group (P </= 0.05) but were not significantly different after AEx+WL. L2-L4 BMD did not significantly change in either group. Thus WL and AEx+WL both result in losses of total body BMD; however, AEx+WL appears to prevent the loss in regional BMD seen with WL alone in healthy, older women. This suggests that the addition of exercise to weight-loss programs may reduce the risk for bone loss.
Ryan et al. (Wed,) studied this question.