Despite the adverse metabolic and functional consequences of obesity, caloric restriction- (CR) induced weight loss is often contra-indicated in older adults with obesity due to the accompanying loss of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and subsequent increased risk of fracture. Several studies show a positive effect of exercise on aBMD among weight-stable older adults; however, data on the ability of exercise to mitigate bone loss secondary to CR are surprisingly equivocal. The purpose of this review is to provide a focused update of the randomized controlled trial literature assessing the efficacy of exercise as a countermeasure to CR-induced bone loss among older adults. Secondarily, we present data demonstrating the occurrence of exercise-induced changes in bone biomarkers, offering insight into why exercise is not more effective than observed in mitigating CR-induced bone loss.
Keywords: bone loss; caloric restriction; exercise; mechanisms; review; weight loss.