The effect of tobacco smoking on the bone mineral content of the ageing skeleton.

The relationship between the bone mineral content (BMC) of the heel bone and cigarette smoking has been determined in representative samples of 409 men and 559 women at the age of 70, 75 and 79 in a longitudinal and cohort comparison study. The BMC was measured by dual photon absorptiometry with stationary geometry over the dorsal aspect of the heel bone. The mean values of the BMC for smokers compared to non-smokers were for men about 10-20% lower and for women 15-30% lower in all age groups studied. The difference in body weight between smokers and non-smokers could not explain the lower values of BMC for the smokers. No difference was found in physical activity between the groups.