Interrelationship between muscle fitness in childhood and bone mineral density in adulthood: mediation analysis of muscle fitness in adulthood

• Published in: BMC public health 2023-04, Vol.23 (1), p.648-648, Article 648
• Main Authors: Barbosa, Cynthia Correa Lopes, da Costa, Julio Cesar, Romanzini, Catiana Leila Possamai, Batista, Mariana Biagi, Blasquez-Shigaki, Gabriela, Fernandes, Rômulo Araújo, Martinho, Diogo V, Oliveira, Tomás, Ribeiro, Luís P, Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel João, Ronque, Enio Ricardo Vaz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorptiometry; Absorptiometry, Photon; Body mass; Body mass index; Bone density; Bone Density - physiology; Bone health; Bone mineral density; Bones; Child; Child development; Childhood; Children; Demographic aspects; Density; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Ethics; Exercise Test; Female; Females; Fitness; Growth; Hand Strength - physiology; Humans; Indicators; Limbs; Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Lumbar Vertebrae - physiology; Male; Males; Mediation Analysis; Muscle strength; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscles; Osteoporosis; Physical fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; Regression analysis; Spine; Spine (lumbar); Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Upper Extremity - diagnostic imaging; Upper Extremity - physiology; Variables; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15545-7

This study was aimed to examine the relationship between muscular fitness indicators in childhood and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in adulthood and to verify whether the relationship is mediated by performance on muscular fitness indicators in adulthood. A sample of 138 healthy adults (69 males; 22.3 years) were followed after a previous assessment at the age of 7-10 years. Stature, body mass and muscular fitness indicators (handgrip strength, standing long jump and sit-ups tests) were assessed in childhood and adulthood. Additionally, total body, upper limbs, lower limbs, right femoral neck and lumbar spine aBMD was assessed in adulthood using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Analysis included descriptive statistics; t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test for comparison between males and females, multiple linear regression for the prediction aBMD from muscular fitness indicators in childhood, mediation analysis of the respective muscular fitness indicators in adulthood and the relationship between muscular fitness indicators in childhood and aBMD. Males were stronger compared to females regarding muscular fitness indicators in childhood and adulthood, and presented higher mean values for aBMD in adulthood, except for lumbar spine (p