Diabetes rates on the rise for women aged 50 years and older with osteoporosis

From healio.com

Key takeaways:

• The percentage of women with osteoporosis increased from 13.7% in 2009-2010 to 16.9% in 2017-2018.
• Diabetes prevalence with osteoporosis increased from 2009-2010 to 2017-2018.

BOSTON — The percentage of women with osteoporosis who also had diabetes increased from 2009-2010 to 2017-2018, despite a decline in overall diabetes rates for women aged 50 years and older, according to data presented at ENDO 2024.

Avica Atri

"Alongside an increasing prevalence of osteoporosis over the past decade, [women with osteoporosis] have also been noted to have an increasing prevalence of diabetes, bringing to light the importance of screening, evaluating and aggressively treating for diabetes to reduce the associated increased fracture risk,” Avica Atri, MD, an internal medicine resident physician at Albert Einstein Medical Centre in Philadelphia, told Healio.

Data were derived from Atri A. SUN-274. Presented at: ENDO annual meeting; June 1-4, 2024; Boston.

Researchers conducted an observational cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles from 2009-2010, 2013-2014 and 2017-2018. Women aged 50 years and older with a femoral neck bone mineral density T-score of –1 or less were included in the study. Osteopenia was defined as a BMD T-score of –2.4 to –1 and osteoporosis as a BMD T-score of –2.5 or less. 

Women were considered to have prediabetes if they had an HbA1c of 5.7% to 6.4%. Diabetes was defined as an HbA1c of 6.5% or higher.

From 2009-2010 to 2017-2018, the prevalence of osteoporosis increased from 13.7% to 16.9% (P = .001). Prediabetes prevalence declined from 40% in 2009-2010 to 32.9% in 2017-2018 (P = .001), and diabetes prevalence decreased from 9.6% in 2009-2010 to 9% in 2017-2018 (P = .001).

Among women with osteopenia, the percentage of those with diabetes dropped from 10% in 2009-2010 to 9% in 2017-2018 (P = .001). Diabetes prevalence increased from 7.5% in 2009-2010 to 8.7% in 2017-2018 for women with osteoporosis (P = .001). However, the percentage of women with osteoporosis, diabetes and an HbA1c of more than 7% dropped from 5.8% in 2009-2010 to 3.5% in 2017-2018 (P = .001).

“Due to this noted increase in the prevalence of diabetes, focusing on blood glucose monitoring and regular HbA1c screening, as well as pharmacologic and lifestyle interventions focused on exercise (importantly weight training), that target improving both bone health and glycaemic control could aid in reducing the prevalence of diabetes among this already high-risk population,” Atri said.

Atri said prospective studies are needed to monitor diabetes trends among women with osteoporosis. She added population-based studies are also needed to assess risk factors, screening, lifestyle intervention and therapies that impact both bone health and glycemic control.

https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20240603/diabetes-rates-on-the-rise-for-women-aged-50-years-and-older-with-osteoporosis