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Relationships between iodine nutrition status, and bone mineral density and bone metabolism: a cross-sectional study of 1207 thyroid disease-free adults in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2025

Zheng Zhou ,
Jinjin Liu ,
Baoxiang Li ,
Yun Chen ,
Yanhong He ,
Bingxuan Ren ,
Qiuyang Wei ,
Meihui Jin ,
Yao Chen  and
Haiyan Gao
...Show all authors
Zheng Zhou
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Jinjin Liu
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Baoxiang Li
Affiliation:
Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China
Yun Chen
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Yanhong He
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Bingxuan Ren
Affiliation:
Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
Qiuyang Wei
Affiliation:
Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Second Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Meihui Jin
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Public Health School, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
Yao Chen
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Haiyan Gao
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Siyuan Wan
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Lixiang Liu*
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
Hongmei Shen*
Affiliation:
Disorders Control, Centre for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People’s Republic of China
*
Corresponding authors: Hongmei Shen; Email: shenhm119@hrbmu.edu.cn; Lixiang Liu; Email: liulixiang@hrbmu.edu.cn
Corresponding authors: Hongmei Shen; Email: shenhm119@hrbmu.edu.cn; Lixiang Liu; Email: liulixiang@hrbmu.edu.cn
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Abstract

Little is known about the association between iodine nutrition status and bone health. The present study aimed to explore the connection between iodine nutrition status, bone metabolism parameters, and bone disease (osteopenia and osteoporosis). A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 391, 395, and 421 adults from iodine fortification areas (IFA), iodine adequate areas (IAA), and iodine excess areas (IEA) of China. Iodine nutrition status, bone metabolism parameters and BMD were measured. Our results showed that, in IEA, the urine iodine concentrations (UIC) and serum iodine concentrations (SIC) were significantly higher than in IAA. BMD and Ca2+ levels were significantly different under different iodine nutrition levels and the BMD were negatively correlated with UIC and SIC. Univariate linear regression showed that gender, age, BMI, menopausal status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, UIC, SIC, free thyroxine, TSH, and alkaline phosphatase were associated with BMD. The prevalence of osteopenia was significantly increased in IEA, UIC ≥ 300 µg/l and SIC > 90 µg/l groups. UIC ≥ 300 µg/l and SIC > 90 µg/l were risk factors for BMD T value < –1·0 sd. In conclusion, excess iodine can not only lead to changes in bone metabolism parameters and BMD, but is also a risk factor for osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Keywords

Water iodine concentrationsBMDIodine nutritionBone metabolism

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 133 , Issue 9 , 14 May 2025 , pp. 1180 - 1192
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Nutrition Society

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Footnotes

Zheng Zhou and Jinjin Liu have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.

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