BMI and EAT-26, predictors for low BMD?

The primary purpose of this study was to characterize bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy adult females in the Southern United States. A secondary purpose was to determine to what extent age, race, body mass index (BMI), and disordered eating contribute to BMD status. Age ranged from 25 to 50 years (39.8 ± 8.5). Race was classified into Caucasian or non-Caucasian. BMI was 28.97 ± 7.85 (kg/m²). The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to identify disordered eating characteristics. The Alara MetriScan was used to assess BMD values. Regression results showed that the linear combination of three independent variables-age, race, and BMI-predicted 34.5% of the variance in BMD, R² =.345, R² _adj =.334, F(3, 170) = 29.87, p <.001. The strongest predictor of low BMD was Caucasian race.