Abstract
Physical inactivity of children can be a precursor of reduced bone mineral density, considered to be a typical problem only in old age. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral density in 96 Polish boys aged 14–17 years with varied physical activity (swimmers, track and field athletes, non-athletes) and the effect of bone composition, birth weight and breastfeeding during infancy on bone parameters. Anthropometric and body composition measurements were performed according to the kinanthropometric standards. Bone parameters of the forearm were measured by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data on the infant’s birth weight and the length of breastfeeding were collected during direct interviews with mothers. The strongest links with bone parameters were found for the type of physical activity and birth weight. Regardless of birth weight, track and field athletes had the most advantageous bone parameters (mainly sT-score prox values). Swimmers with normal or low birth weight had less favourable sT-score prox values than non-athletes. The type of physical activity proved to be an important determinant of bone parameters. Childhood and adolescence are important periods of bone development and increasing the content of bone mineral components, and the bone status in later years of life depends to a large extent on this period. The perinatal period, especially the correct birth weight of the child, not only has a significant effect on general health, but also on bone status.
Highlights
Childhood and adolescence are periods of progressive ontogenesis, when the skeleton microarchitecture and mineralization undergo substantial changes
Swimmers with normal or low birth weight (LBW) had less favourable sT-score prox values than non-athletes
Our study demonstrated that boys with LBW have a significantly less favourable biological bone profile and lower bone mineralization in all analysed bone parameters
Summary
Childhood and adolescence are periods of progressive ontogenesis, when the skeleton microarchitecture and mineralization undergo substantial changes. The human skeleton initially consists of a soft fibrous material called cartilage. It is gradually transformed into the bone through a process called bone mineral density (BMD) [2]. This process is determined by both non-modifiable genetic factors [3,4] and a number of modifiable, demographic, socio-economic, hormonal, and especially lifestylerelated factors [5,6,7,8]. Genetics plays an important role in determining PBM, environmental factors such as diets [9] and level of physical activity (PA) [10], especially in late childhood and early adolescence, are considered important modulators of individual genetic potential
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