The association between glycemic indicators and bone mineral density and osteoporosis: a cross-sectional study

To investigate the relationship between glycemic indicators (HbA1c and FPG) and bone mineral density (BMD) as well as osteoporosis in adults. A total of 1445 participants from the "The longitudinal investigation of osteoarthritis and cardiovascular health status" cohort were recruited and classified into normal BMD, osteopenia, and osteoporosis groups based on BMD. Data on sociodemographic factors, anthropometric measurements, medical history, and FPG samples were collected. BMD was measured by tibial ultrasound. Logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), with adjustments for confounding factors. Participants in the osteopenia and osteoporosis groups were older, had higher triglycerides and body mass index, and fewer smokers and alcohol consumers compared to the normal BMD group. HbA1c levels were significantly lower in the osteopenia and osteoporosis groups than in the normal BMD group, while FPG showed no significant differences. Logistic regression indicated a significant negative correlation between HbA1c and the risk of osteoporosis (OR (95% CI) 0.914 (0.838, 0.997)) and osteopenia (OR (95% CI) 0.904 (0.826, 0.989)). After adjusting for confounding factors, a significant positive correlation exists between HbA1c and BMD, and higher HbA1c levels are associated with a relatively lower risk of osteoporosis. These findings highlight the importance of considering long-term blood glucose control in clinical practice for bone health management.