Relationship between bone mineral density and body mass index among patients with diabetes mellitus in Bahrain

To study the prevalence of osteoporosis, BMD T-score, in relation to Body Mass Index (BMI) in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) in Bahrain. We conducted a retrospective hospital-based study, over the period 2016-2018 of patients with DMT2, who presented to KHUH center in Bahrain for DEXA scan. The demographic data, BMI, and BMD-T scores were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 28. The prevalence of low BMD was found to be 62.7% (18.8% osteoporosis, 43.9% osteopenia), and normal BMD 37.3%. Moreover, the BMD showed positive association with BMI (p=0.015), but negative association with age (p=0.002). Segregation of BMD into femur and lumber spine maintained the significant positive association with BMI, and the negative association with age at both sites. The obese patients had higher mean levels of BMD-T-scores compared to patients with normal BMI (p30 kg/m2), the higher the BMD and the lesser the risk for developing osteoporosis in DMT2 in Bahrain.•Low BMD was more common in females compared to males, especially at lumbar spine.