Obesity and Male Osteoporosis: Protective Factor?

In an increasingly obese and aging population, metabolic chronic diseases, low bone mass, and osteoporotic fractures are major public health concerns. During the last decades, obesity and osteoporosis have become dramatic global health problems with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Interestingly, the belief that obesity is protective against osteoporosis has come into question, as demonstrated by recent epidemiologic and clinical studies, which have shown that high level of fat mass might be a risk factor for osteoporosis and fragility fractures, both in men and women. Several potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the complex relationship between adipose tissue and bone. This chapter considers recent data in the literature to further evaluate the relationship between fat and bone tissue in men.