The association between body fat percentage and incidence of falls- and fracture-related hospitalisation in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort

Falls are the leading cause of injury and death in older people and can lead to bone fractures, long-term pain, movement problems and increased risk of death. Obesity is a growing problem worldwide with serious negative effects on people’s health and huge costs to the healthcare system. The current understanding is that high body weight leads to a reduced chance of developing osteoporosis or fracturing a bone. The aim of this study will be to assess whether body composition – specifically the percentage of body fat – affects bone health and the risk of fracturing a bone.