Research
Energy balance
Reduced fat-free mass (lean mass) in IBD patients is a stronger predictor of bone mineral density (BMD) than fat mass or BMI.
To protect your bones from IBD-related osteoporosis, focus on preserving muscle mass. Lean mass is the key body component that supports bone density, whereas fat mass and BMI do not offer the same protection. Prioritize resistance training and adequate protein intake to maintain lean mass.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Two studies (n = 142) found that weight, lean mass and appendicular skeletal muscle index... correlated with BMD or BMC in subjects with both CD and UC, whilst FM and BMI did not.
Why this rating
Based on two studies within the review; other studies showed mixed or no correlation.
Source
Systematic review: body composition in adults with inflammatory bowel disease
Robert V. Bryant et al. · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · 2013
DOI 10.1111/apt.12372
systematic_review · n=926Cited 172×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly Crohn's disease, exhibit significant alterations in body composition characterized by reduced fat-free mass and fat mass, which are often masked by normal or elevated BMI.Moderate
- Corticosteroid therapy in IBD patients is associated with adverse body composition changes, including reduced fat-free mass and increased fat mass, depending on the patient subgroup.Moderate
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