Association of Masseter Muscle Volume with Bone Mineral Density and Risk of Osteoporosis in Older Japanese Adults: The Bunkyo Health Study

The relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and oral function has been studied. However, the relationship between the masseter muscle, which plays an important role in oral function, and BMD and osteoporosis in older adults has not been investigated. This study investigated the association between masseter muscle volume (MMV) and age in relation to osteoporosis prevalence and hip BMD. Body composition and BMD were measured using dual- energy X-ray absorptiometry in 1534 people aged 65-84 years living in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. MMV was measured using a three-dimensional medical image analysis system. Participants were divided into five groups (quintile 1-5: Q1-5, Q1 < Q5) by 20% for each sex based on MMV. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between MMV and BMD.