Ann Geriatr Med Res.  2017 Dec;21(4):182-187. 10.4235/agmr.2017.21.4.182.

Prevalence of Osteopenia According to Physical Fitness in Men: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Kim YH
• Yoon DH
• Kim HK
• Song W

• KMID: 2401133
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4235/agmr.2017.21.4.182

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Bone mineral density (BMD) has been associated with fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, and genetic factors such as sex and race. The aim of this study was to determine whether athletic performance in middle-to-old-aged men affected the development of osteopenia.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study pooled data collected from 3,560 men in their 40-70's. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine 1-4 and the femoral neck. The fitness tests included strength (grip strength), flexibility (trunk forward flexion), and cardiopulmonary fitness (maximum oxygen consumption, VO(2max)).
RESULTS
The participants in the normal and osteopenia groups were aged 49.9±5.0 (mean±standard deviation) and 50.4±5.1 years, respectively. Those in the highest quartile (Q4) of VO2max had a significantly increased risk of having osteopenia (adjusted odds ratio 1.687; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.193-2.387; p=0.003). Participants in the highest quartile (Q4) of grip strength had a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio (1.445) of having osteopenia (95% CI, 1.099-1.857; p=0.009). Finally, flexibility was 1.454 times higher for the lowest group (Q4) than for the highest group (Q1) (95% CI, 1.194-1.887; p=0.003).
CONCLUSION
Higher levels of cardiopulmonary fitness and flexibility in middle-aged men may decrease the prevalence of osteopenia and prevent loss of BMD.

Keyword

Fitness; Bone mineral density; Osteopenia; Odds ratio

MeSH Terms

Absorptiometry, Photon
Athletic Performance
Bone Density
Bone Diseases, Metabolic*
Continental Population Groups
Cross-Sectional Studies*
Femur Neck
Hand Strength
Humans
Life Style
Male
Odds Ratio
Oxygen Consumption
Physical Fitness*
Pliability
Prevalence*
Spine