Determinants of Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal White Iowans

Abstract

Bone mineral density is a complex trait that is influenced by several different modifiers; in the present study, weight was the best predictor of postmenopausal BMD. While several studies suggest that VDR genotype is an important determinant of BMD, we did not find this association in our population, nor did we identify an association between allelic variation at the type I collagen gene loci and BMD. Identification of genes that determine body mass index may provide additional insight into risk factors for low BMD, and osteoporotic fractures.