[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-health-basics\/what-your-weight-tells-you-about-your-bones\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-health-basics\/what-your-weight-tells-you-about-your-bones\/","headline":"What your weight tells you about your bones","name":"What your weight tells you about your bones","description":"Print PDF eBook Facebook Twitter Gmail LinkedIn Pinterest Is being overweight protective for bone health? Does being underweight jeopardize bone? What happens to bone when you lose weight? While these might seem like simple questions, the weight-bone link is far from straight-forward.\u00a0 Hundreds of papers have been written on the topic, with contradictory findings.\u00a0 Nonetheless […]","datePublished":"2014-12-12","dateModified":"2026-04-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/#Person","name":"Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/","identifier":72,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Center for Better Bones","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","width":150,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/image.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/image.jpeg","height":1109,"width":2120},"url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-health-basics\/what-your-weight-tells-you-about-your-bones\/","about":["Bone Health Basics"],"wordCount":459,"keywords":["weight loss"],"articleBody":" Print PDF eBook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGmail\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedIn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPinterest\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIs being overweight protective for bone health? Does being underweight jeopardize bone? What happens to bone when you lose weight?While these might seem like simple questions, the weight-bone link is far from straight-forward.\u00a0 Hundreds of papers have been written on the topic, with contradictory findings.\u00a0 Nonetheless I did promise to address this weighty issue, so here\u2019s my synthesis of what we know.Being significantly underweight increases the risk for fracture. Numerous studies suggest that being thin is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture compared to people of normal weight. Thin women with low bone density and little muscle mass are especially at risk.Being slightly overweight may have a small protective effect on hip fractures. Weight-bearing hip fractures may be a bit less in slightly overweight women as compared to women of normal weight However, being even slightly overweight seems to be associated with a somewhat greater risk for fractures of the upper arm.Being significantly overweight doesn\u2019t protect against fractures. Even though weight-bearing bones may become stronger to carry extra weight, this doesn\u2019t appear to ward off fractures.\u00a0 Abdominal fat likely produces inflammatory compounds detrimental to bone. Being overweight is often associated with metabolic diseases like diabetes which increase fracture risk.Lean body mass is important. Whatever your weight, the amount of muscle mass or lean body mass is very important. Lean body mass protects against fracture\u2014 which is why a thin person with good muscle mass will be at a lower risk than a heavy person with a lower percentage of muscle mass. Muscle mass is associated with bone mineral density, and a higher bone density associated with lower fracture risk.Weight loss is associated with bone loss. Simply said, when you lose weight you lose bone.\u00a0 This is especially true as we grow older, as bone loss from weight loss in post menopause isn\u2019t regained easily.\u00a0 In fact, losing weight as we age after menopause is considered a risk factor for fracture.Weight cycling increases fracture risk. Weight cycling \u2014 or the losing and then gaining back of weight\u2014 is associated with increased rates of both spinal and hip fractures fracture. A stable weight, if bit above normal, is more favorable to bone.If you\u2019d like, in a subsequent blog I can discuss what this all might mean for you.\u00a0 For now let me suggest that for women of normal or low weight, gaining a few pounds as we age is not a bad thing at all. Read more about your possible bone health risk factors here. For a complete breakdown of every nutrient your bones need, see our guide to bone health nutrition and the 20+ nutrients your bones need."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Bone Health Basics","item":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-health-basics\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What your weight tells you about your bones","item":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-health-basics\/what-your-weight-tells-you-about-your-bones\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]