Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns in bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index (BMI) and body composition in elite jockeys. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 17 Flat (F) (Age, 27±8 yrs; Height 1.60 ± 0.1m; Mass 53.1 ± 4.1kg) and 10 National Hunt (NH) jockeys (Age, 28 ± 5yrs; Height 1.73 ± 0.1m; Mass 66.2 ±kg). DEXA(GE Lunar Prodigy 2) was used to measure BMD at the lumber spine and proximal femur. Body composition was determined from the total body DEXA scan. RESULTS: Mean BMI was significantly lower in F than the NH group (19.88 ± 1.26 v 22.06 ± 0.81, p<0.01). Body composition analysis revealed that the mean percentage body fat was 9.0±2.5 % for the F group and 10.4 ± 4.0% for the NH group respectively, with 24 % of F and 20 % NH possessing body fat levels of 6% or less. The BMD results revealed 41% of the subjects in the F group and 40 % of the NH group were osteopenic at the spine. At the total hip the percentage of subjects who were osteopenic was 41 % for the F group and 20% in the NH group. In total 53% of the F group and 40% of the NH group were osteopenic in either the hip, spine or both. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of osteopenia observed in the present study, are significantly higher than those previously reported for aged matched subjects. Given the low BMI and % percentage body fat levels observed, coupled with the high incidence of osteopenia, further research is required to investigate the appropriateness of current minimum weight standards for both F and NH. Such analysis should include assessment habitual hydration status and dietary intake patterns.
Published Version
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