Femoral BMD, Osteoporosis Linked to All-Cause Mortality Postmenopause

MONDAY, May 18, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Femoral bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are associated with all-cause mortality in postmenopausal women, according to a study published online May 12 in Menopause.Zheng Zhang, M.D., from the College of Clinical Medicine Qinghai University in Xining, China, and colleagues examined the prognostic value of BMD with regard to mortality in a study involving 2,977 postmenopausal women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005 to 2018). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess BMD at four femoral sites.The researchers found that mortality risk was significantly elevated when femoral BMD reached the osteoporotic threshold or in the presence of osteoporotic fractures in a Kaplan-Meier analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for BMD at all femoral sites was greater than that for body mass index (area under the curve, 0.591). Osteoporosis was associated with increased mortality risk after full adjustment (hazard ratio, 1.47). An inverse correlation was seen for site-specific BMD with mortality risk. A stronger inverse association was seen between increased BMD and mortality risk within specific ranges: 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm2 for total femur BMD and 0.33 to 0.54 g/cm2 for trochanter BMD."Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women's lives -- from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death," Monica Christmas, M.D., associate medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a statement.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Femoral BMD, Osteoporosis Linked to All-Cause Mortality Postmenopause

Related Stories

ASH Issues Guidance on Serum Ferritin Thresholds for Diagnosing Iron Deficiency

U.K. Biobank Data Show Link Between Diet Quality and Adult Acne

Warnings About Cancer-Alcohol Link Can Be Made Stronger, Researchers Say

Exercise Link to Dementia Varies by Physical Activity Domain