Good sleep quality predicts a lower risk of osteoporosis in older adults: Evidence from the English longitudinal study of ageing

Background

Osteoporosis is an increasingly prevalent public health concern in ageing populations. While traditional risk factors such as ageing, hormonal status, and physical inactivity are well-recognized, the role of sleep quality in osteoporosis risk remains understudied. This study aimed to investigate the prospective association between sleep quality and the risk of developing osteoporosis among older adults.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). A total of 5958 osteoporosis-free participants aged ≥50 years were recruited at wave 4 (2008–2009) and followed up across waves 5 to 8 (2016–2017), with a maximum follow-up of 8 years. Sleep quality was assessed using a validated four-item questionnaire (score range: 4–16), and categorized as good (4 ≤ score ≤ 7), intermediate (8 ≤ score ≤ 11), and poor (12 ≤ score ≤ 16) sleep quality groups. Incident osteoporosis was identified via self-reported physician diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health-related covariates including sleep duration.

Results

During the 8-year follow-up, 319 participants (5.36 %) developed osteoporosis. Compared to those with poor sleep quality, the risk of osteoporosis was significantly lower in the intermediate (adjusted HR = 0.64, 95 % CI: 0.49–0.85) and good sleep quality groups (adjusted HR = 0.54, 95 % CI: 0.39–0.73). A significant dose–response relationship was observed (P for trend <0.001). These associations remained robust among participants with normal sleep duration (6–9 h). Subgroup analyses revealed that the associations were particularly significant in adults aged 60–80 years, those who were married or cohabiting, and individuals with hypertension, even after Bonferroni correction.

Conclusions

Higher sleep quality was significantly associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis among older adults. These findings suggest that sleep quality may be a potentially modifiable behavioral factor related to osteoporosis risk, warranting further investigation in future longitudinal and interventional studies.