Residential Greenness Tied to Increased Bone Density, Lower Osteoporosis Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Residential greenness is associated with higher bone mineral density and a lower risk for incident osteoporosis, according to a study published online March 5 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Tingting Tan, from the The Second Xiangya Hospital at Central South University in Changsha, China, and colleagues examined the associations of residential greenness with bone mineral density and incident osteoporosis. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at various buffer distances was used to serve as an indicator of greenness. The associations of residential greenness with estimated bone mineral density (eBMD), prevalent osteoporosis, and incident osteoporosis were examined; the joint effects of genetic risk and greenness on the risk for osteoporosis were further examined using the polygenic risk score (PRS) for osteoporosis.

The researchers found that each interquartile range increase in NDVI_300m was associated with a 0.0007 increase in eBMD, as well as with a lower risk for prevalent osteoporosis and incident osteoporosis (odds ratio, 0.94; hazard ratio, 0.95). A clear dose-response pattern was seen in the joint effects of greenness and PRS on the risk for osteoporosis. Individuals exposed to high NDVI levels and low genetic risk had a 56 percent lower risk for osteoporosis compared with those exposed to low NDVI levels and high genetic risk. Fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide were the primary mediators in the association between greenness and incident osteoporosis.

"These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of greenness in preventing the onset of osteoporosis and emphasize the significance of urban greening in developing effective prevention strategies," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text