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Higher body mass index (BMI > 25 kg/m²) is associated with a protective effect against hip fracture burden, reducing DALYs by up to 24.1% for BMI > 35 kg/m² compared to a BMI of 21.5–25 kg/m².

This study suggests that higher body weight (BMI > 25) may protect against hip fractures, likely due to mechanical cushioning. However, the authors explicitly state that recommending weight gain is inappropriate due to the association with other morbidities. Focus on maintaining a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and activity rather than targeting weight loss specifically for bone health.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
high BMI had a protective effect... Being overweight or obese was responsible for a reduction in DALYs that ranged from 7.2% (95% CI 4–11.2) for participants with a BMI of 25–30 kg/m², to 24.1% (14.4–32.9) for those with a BMI greater than 35 kg/m²
Nikos Papadimitriou et al. · The Lancet Public Health · 2017

Why this rating

Large pooled analysis.

Source

Burden of hip fracture using disability-adjusted life-years: a pooled analysis of prospective cohorts in the CHANCES consortium

Nikos Papadimitriou et al. · The Lancet Public Health · 2017

DOI 10.1016/s2468-2667(17)30046-4

cohort · n=223880Cited 274×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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