Variety of activity participation influences leg bone mineral content of pre-pubertal children with developmental coordination disorder

Abstract

Limited participation in activities in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) may have a negative impact on bone mineral accrual. This study aimed to compare bone mineralization and activity participation patterns of pre-pubertal children with DCD and those with typical development, and to determine the relationship between activity participation patterns and bone mineralization in children with DCD. Fifty-two children with DCD (mean age = 7.5 years) and 61 children with typical development (mean age = 7.2 years) participated in the study voluntarily. Appendicular and total body bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed by a whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Activity participation patterns were assessed using the Children's assessment of participation and enjoyment (CAPE). Children with DCD had lower appendicular and total body BMCs and BMDs than children with typical development ( P < 0.05). Additionally, they had lower CAPE total activity and physical activity diversity and intensity scores ( P < 0.05). After accounting for the effects of bone age, sex, lean mass and fat mass, the total activity diversity score remained independently associated with leg BMC in children with DCD, explaining 5.5% of the variance ( P < 0.001). However, the physical activity diversity score was no longer associated with leg BMC ( P = 0.084). Diversity (variety) and intensity of activity participation and bone mineralization were lower in pre-pubertal children with DCD. Decreased total activity participation variety was a contributing factor to lower BMC in the legs of children with DCD.