One week of high-fat overfeeding alters bone metabolism in healthy males: A pilot study

Objective: Short-periods of excessive consumption of indulgent high-fat foods are common in Western society, but the effect this has on bone is unknown. The aim of this pilot study was to explore how a seven-day hyperenergetic, high-fat diet affects candidate biomarkers of bone metabolism.
Research Methods & Procedures: Twelve healthy males [mean (SD): age, 24 (4) y; BMI (kg/m2), 24.1 (1.5)] consumed a 7-day hyperenergetic, high-fat diet [HE-HFD; 20.9 (0.8) MJ; 65% total energy as fat] and control diet (10.9 (2.0) MJ; 36% total energy as fat), in randomised, crossover order, with each trial separated by 3 weeks. Markers of bone formation (P1NP) and bone resorption (CTx) were measured at baseline and after 1, 3 and 7 days of each diet. Bone metabolic responses were analysed using 2-factor repeated-measures ANOVA and subsequent pairwise comparisons.
Results: There was a main effect of time (P<0.05), but no trial (P=0.270) or time-by-trial interaction (P=0.693) effects for plasma concentrations of CTx. Mean CTx concentrations were not different between trials (CON: 0.97 (0.39) ng/mL; HE-HFD: 1.03 (0.22) ng/mL; P=0.225). There was a main effect of trial (P<0.01), but no time (P=0.138) or trial-by-interaction (P=0.179) effects for plasma concentrations of P1NP. Mean P1NP concentrations were lower during the HE-HFD compared to CON (HE-HFD: 61.79 (26.54) ng/mL; CON: 77.89 (28.71) ng/mL; P<0.01).
Conclusions: A 7-day hyperenergetic, high-fat diet reduces a marker of bone formation but does not affect markers of bone resorption. This pilot study suggests that short-periods of excessive energy and fat consumption may detrimentally affect bone health.