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. 2024 Jun 22;25(1):487.
doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-07605-9.

Association between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis in adults: a cross-sectional study

Li Zhou  1 , Weinmin Deng  2   3 , Qingrong Wu  4 , Yandong Pan  5 , Hongxing Huang  6
Affiliations

Association between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis in adults: a cross-sectional study

Li Zhou et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Increased intake of specific vitamins has been linked to a decreased prevalence of osteoporosis. However, the association between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis in the general population remains incompletely understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine the association between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis in the general population of the USA.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2020) were collected. Osteoporosis was considered to be indicated by a bone mineral density greater than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of the young adult reference group. Dietary folate intake was measured by a 24-hour dietary recall. Multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used.

Results: The study included 2297 participants (mean age: 63.69 ± 0.35 years), 49.92% of whom were female. In the general population, increased dietary folate intake was directly associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis (P for trend = 0.005). In the age > 60 years and female subgroups, folate intake was inversely associated with the risk of osteoporosis (P for trend < 0.001). The dose‒response curve suggested that this association was nonlinear (P for nonlinearity = 0.015).

Conclusions: Our cross-sectional study provides initial insights into the inverse association between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis in the general U.S.

Population: Further research is needed to confirm these associations.

Keywords: Cross-sectional study; Dietary folate intake; Nonlinear relationship; Osteoporosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the study participants
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The dose‒response relationship between dietary folate intake and the risk of osteoporosis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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