Metabolically favorable adiposity and bone mineral density: a Mendelian randomization analysis

The present analysis assessed the putative causal association between genetically predicted percent body fat and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and, more specifically, the association between genetically predicted metabolically “favourable adiposity” (MFA) and aBMD at clinically relevant bone sites. Mendelian randomization was used to assess the relationship of MFA and percent body fat with whole‐body, lumbar spine, femoral neck, and forearm aBMD. The study did not support the hypothesis that MFA protects against low aBMD. Instead, it showed that MFA might result in lower aBMD. Further research is needed to understand how MFA affects aBMD and other components of bone health, such as bone turnover, bone architecture, and osteoporotic fractures.