D-59 Thematic Poster - Assessment and Training in Older Adults

Abstract

Maximizing bone mass in youth is touted as the best strategy to offset the natural losses of aging and the menopausal transition. Physical activities has been shown to be an important factor to improve peak bone mass. PURPOSE: To observe the effects of cheerleading exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) and some related markers of bone metabolism in female college students. METHODS: Thirty-two female college students, with mean age, height, and weight, respectively 20.45±1.15, 164.78±4.83 and 55.45±7.60, were randomly divided into two groups: cheerleading training group and control group. After the 5 months of cheerleading exercise intervention, the BMD of lumbar spine, left hip and right hip were detected by DEXA. The serum level of total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) were detected by 721-spectrophotometer and the serum level of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 17-estradiol (E2) was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS After cheerleading exercise for five months, the BMD of lumbar spine, left hip and right hip in cheerleading training group were significantly higher than that of in control group (lumbar spine, 1.04±0.13 vs. 0.88±0.54, p<0.05; left hip, 1.05±0.99 vs. 0.91±0.58, p<0.05; right hip, 1.06±0.98 vs. 0.91±0.43, p<0.05). No significant changes were observed in serum PTH (16.40±10.83 vs.20.74±11.35, P>0.05), ALP (58.33±17.49 vs. 54.98±18.99, P>0.05), TRACP (2.78±1.14 vs. 2.52±1.00, P>0.05) and E2 (43.31±15.39 vs. 34.62±10.46, P>0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Five months of cheerleading exercise can increase the BMD of female college students. Supported by Scholar Program of ChangChen Grant ROI