Sports Participation in High School and College Leads to High Bone Density and Greater Rates of Bone Loss in Young Men: Results from a Population-Based Study

• Published in: Calcified tissue international 2018-07, Vol.103 (1), p.5-15
• Main Authors: Minett, Maggie M., Weidauer, Lee, Wey, Howard E., Binkley, Teresa L., Beare, Tianna M., Specker, Bonny L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bone density; Bone loss; Bone mass; Bone mineral content; Bone mineral density; Cell Biology; College sports; Computed tomography; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Endocrinology; Femur; High school sports; Hip; Life Sciences; Mens health; Original Research; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis; Physical activity; Population studies; Population-based studies; Radius
• ISSN: 0171-967X; 1432-0827
• DOI: 10.1007/s00223-017-0383-z

Estimated lifetime risk of an osteoporotic fracture in men over the age of 50 years is substantial and lifestyle factors such as physical activity may explain variation in bone mass and bone loss associated with aging. Men ( n  = 253) aged 20–66 years were followed for 7.5 years and factors that influence changes in means and rates of change in bone mass, density, and size using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) were investigated; in particular, seasons of sports participation during high school and college. Men with greater sports participation had higher total hip bone mineral content (BMC) (48.4 ± 0.9 and 48.6 ± 0.9 g for 7–12 and 13+ seasons vs. 45.6 ± 0.8 and 45.4 ± 0.7 g for 0 and 1–6 seasons, respectively p