Vertebral fracture prevalence and risk factors for fracture in The Gambia, West Africa: the Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study
An erratum to this article was published (J Bone Miner Res, 3 Feb 2026 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
VF prevalence in Gambian older adults is similar to elsewhere, despite fractures not being a perceived issue. Risk factors were like those identified elsewhere, including age, aBMD, and bone resorption.
Study context
- Population
- Men and women aged 40 yr and over, rural and urban The Gambia, West Africa (Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study)298 women
- Participants
- 581 men
- Outcome
- Prevalence of VF on DXA
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsrural cohort followed up 6-8 yr later; urban single measurement, DXA-based vertebral fractures (VF) assessment
- Rural cohort followed up 6-8 yr later; urban single measurement
- DXA-based VF assessment
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of VF
Prevalence of VF
14.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Age, VF vs no VF · baseline · older with VF
P = 0.01
Age, VF vs no VF · baseline
- Those with VF had lower areal BMD (aBMD) Z-scores
Prevalent VF per 1 SD increase in femoral neck Z-score, women · baseline
- OR
- 0.51 [0.38, 0.73] (95% CI)
Prevalent VF by lumbar spine Z-score, men · baseline
- OR
- 0.71 [0.53, 0.97] (95% CI)
Incidence of VF · over follow-up (6-8 yr)
- Incidence of VF
- 12.1%
- Low BMD and grip strength associated with odds of incident VF
Original publication
Vertebral fracture prevalence and risk factors for fracture in The Gambia, West Africa: the Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study. J Bone Miner Res. Published 7 November 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →