Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Beneficial Effect of Leisure-Time Physical Activity on Bone Mineral Density in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Regular exercise and physical activity (PA) are known to be protective factors for maintaining bone mineral density (BMD) and preventing osteoporotic fracture. We investigated the associations between leisure-time PA and BMD in 2,903 premenopausal and 2,267 postmenopausal women in Korea. BMDs of the lumbar spine and femur were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Leisure-time PA levels were assessed by a self-administrated questionnaire, and a total metabolic equivalent (MET) score was obtained. Regardless of menopausal status, performing more than moderate levels of leisure-time PA or total MET score had a significant positive association with BMD at both the lumbar spine and femur. In the premenopausal group, women whose total MET score was 1,050–1,500 (MET-min/week) appeared to have the highest lumbar spine and femoral BMD (p < 0.001). The associations between PA level and lumbar spine and femoral BMD were also shown in the postmenopausal group (p < 0.001). In addition, we found dose–response relationships between increasing exercise level and femoral BMD in both the premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Our results indicate that a more than moderate level of leisure-time PA plays a role in maintaining BMD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kanis JA, Melton LJ III, Christiansen C, Johnston CC, Khaltaev N (1994) The diagnosis of osteoporosis. J Bone Miner Res 9:1137–1141

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lane NE (2006) Epidemiology, etiology, and diagnosis of osteoporosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 194:S3–S11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Shin CS, Choi HJ, Kim MJ, Kim JT, Yu SH, Koo BK, Cho HY, Cho SW, Kim SW, Park YJ, Jang HC, Kim SY, Cho NH (2010) Prevalence and risk factors of osteoporosis in Korea: a community-based cohort study with lumbar spine and hip bone mineral density. Bone 47:378–387

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ahlborg H, Rosengren B, Jarvinen T, Rogmark C, Nilsson J-A, Sernbo I, Karlsson M (2010) Prevalence of osteoporosis and incidence of hip fracture in women—secular trends over 30 years. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 11:48

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Burge R, Dawson-Hughes B, Solomon DH, Wong JB, King A, Tosteson A (2007) Incidence and economic burden of osteoporosis-related fractures in the United States, 2005–2025. J Bone Miner Res 22:465–475

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chung HY (2008) Osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment. J Korean Endocr Soc 23:76–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Christiansen C, Riis BJ, Rodbro P (1987) Prediction of rapid bone loss in postmenopausal women. Lancet 1:1105–1108

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Pocock NA, Eisman JA, Hopper JL, Yeates MG, Sambrook PN, Eberl S (1987) Genetic determinants of bone mass in adults. A twin study. J Clin Investig 80:706–710

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kobayashi S, Inoue S, Hosoi T, Ouchi Y, Shiraki M, Orimo H (1996) Association of bone mineral density with polymorphism of the estrogen receptor gene. J Bone Miner Res 11:306–311

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Uitterlinden AG, Pols HA, Burger H, Huang Q, Van Daele PL, Van Duijn CM, Hofman A, Birkenhager JC, Van Leeuwen JP (1996) A large-scale population-based study of the association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with bone mineral density. J Bone Miner Res 11:1241–1248

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hannan MT, Felson DT, Dawson-Hughes B, Tucker KL, Cupples LA, Wilson PW, Kiel DP (2000) Risk factors for longitudinal bone loss in elderly men and women: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. J Bone Miner Res 15:710–720

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Chiu GR, Araujo AB, Travison TG, Hall SA, McKinlay JB (2009) Relative contributions of multiple determinants to bone mineral density in men. Osteoporos Int 20:2035–2047

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Shin A, Lim S, Sung J, Myung S, Kim J (2010) Dietary habit and bone mineral density in Korean postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int 21:947–955

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Moayyeri A (2008) The association between physical activity and osteoporotic fractures: a review of the evidence and implications for future research. Ann Epidemiol 18:827–835

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Wilund KR, Tomayko EJ, Evans EM, Kim K, Ishaque MR, Fernhall B (2008) Physical activity, coronary artery calcium, and bone mineral density in elderly men and women: a preliminary investigation. Metabolism 57:584–591

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ma H, Leskinen T, Alen M, Cheng S, Sipila S, Heinonen A, Kaprio J, Suominen H, Kujala UM (2009) Long-term leisure time physical activity and properties of bone: a twin study. J Bone Miner Res 24:1427–1433

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. James MM, Carroll S (2009) A meta-analysis of impact exercise on postmenopausal bone loss: the case for mixed loading exercise programmes. Br J Sports Med 43:898–908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. James MM, Carroll S (2010) Effects of impact exercise modalities on bone mineral density in premenopausal women: a meta-analysis. J Bone Miner Metab 28:251–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Polidoulis I, Beyene J, Cheung AM (2012) The effect of exercises on pQCT parameters of bone structure and strength in postmenopausal women—a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Osteoporos Int 23:39–51

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Leon AS, Jacobs DR Jr, Montoye HJ, Sallis JF, Paffenbarger RS Jr (1993) Compendium of physical activities: classification of energy costs of human physical activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 25:71–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Haskell WL, Lee IM, Pate RR, Powell KE, Blair SN, Franklin BA, Macera CA, Heath GW, Thompson PD, Bauman A (2007) Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39:1423–1434

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. IPAQ (2005) Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ)—short and long forms. www.ipaq.ki.se/scoring.pdf. Accessed 5 October 2011

  23. WHO (1994) Assessment of fracture risk and its application to screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Report of a WHO Study Group. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser 843:1–129

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ho SC, Chan SG, Yip YB, Chan CS, Woo JL, Sham A (2008) Change in bone mineral density and its determinants in pre- and perimenopausal Chinese women: the Hong Kong Perimenopausal Women Osteoporosis Study. Osteoporos Int 19:1785–1796

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Uusi-Rasi K, Sievanen H, Pasanen M, Beck TJ, Kannus P (2008) Influence of calcium intake and physical activity on proximal femur bone mass and structure among pre- and postmenopausal women: a 10-year prospective study. Calcif Tissue Int 82:171–181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Nilsson M, Ohlsson C, Eriksson AL, Frandin K, Karlsson M, Ljunggren O, Mellstrom D, Lorentzon M (2008) Competitive physical activity early in life is associated with bone mineral density in elderly Swedish men. Osteoporos Int 19:1557–1566

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cousins JM, Petit MA, Paudel ML, Taylor BC, Hughes JM, Cauley JA, Zmuda JM, Cawthon PM, Ensrud KE (2010) Muscle power and physical activity are associated with bone strength in older men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study. Bone 47:205–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Doyle F, Brown J, Lachance C (1970) Relation between bone mass and muscle weight. Lancet 1:391–393

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Cummings SR, Nevitt MC, Browner WS, Stone K, Fox KM, Ensrud KE, Cauley J, Black D, Vogt TM (1995) Risk factors for hip fracture in white women. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group. N Engl J Med 332:767–773

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hamilton CJ, Thomas SG, Jamal SA (2010) Associations between leisure physical activity participation and cortical bone mass and geometry at the radius and tibia in a Canadian cohort of postmenopausal women. Bone 46:774–779

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Morseth B, Emaus N, Wilsgaard T, Jacobsen BK, Jorgensen L (2010) Leisure time physical activity in adulthood is positively associated with bone mineral density 22 years later. The Tromso Study. Eur J Epidemiol 25:325–331

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Waltman NL, Twiss JJ, Ott CD, Gross GJ, Lindsey AM, Moore TE, Berg K, Kupzyk K (2010) The effect of weight training on bone mineral density and bone turnover in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss: a 24-month randomized controlled trial. Osteoporos Int 21:1361–1369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lohman T, Going S, Hall M, Ritenbaugh C, Bare L, Hill A, Houtkooper L, Aickin M, Boyden T, Pamenter R (1995) Effects of resistance training on regional and total bone mineral density in premenopausal women: a randomized prospective study. J Bone Miner Res 10:1015–1024

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Vainionpaa A, Korpelainen R, Leppaluoto J, Jamsa T (2005) Effects of high-impact exercise on bone mineral density: a randomized controlled trial in premenopausal women. Osteoporos Int 16:191–197

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Niu K, Ahola R, Guo H, Korpelainen R, Uchimaru J, Vainionpää A, Sato K, Sakai A, Salo S, Kishimoto K, Itoi E, Komatsu S, Jämsä T, Nagatomi R (2010) Effect of office-based brief high-impact exercise on bone mineral density in healthy premenopausal women: the Sendai Bone Health Concept Study. J Bone Miner Metab 28:568–577

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Hansen MA, Overgaard K, Riis BJ, Christiansen C (1991) Role of peak bone mass and bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis: 12 year study. BMJ 303:961–964

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Pettersson U, Nilsson M, Sundh V, Mellstrom D, Lorentzon M (2010) Physical activity is the strongest predictor of calcaneal peak bone mass in young Swedish men. Osteoporos Int 21:447–455

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Wolff I, van Croonenborg JJ, Kemper HCG, Kostense PJ, Twisk JWR (1999) The effect of exercise training programs on bone mass: a meta-analysis of published controlled trials in pre- and postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int 9:1–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Rector RS, Rogers R, Ruebel M, Hinton PS (2008) Participation in road cycling vs running is associated with lower bone mineral density in men. Metabolism 57:226–232

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Burr DB (1997) Muscle strength, bone mass, and age-related bone loss. J Bone Miner Res 12:1547–1551

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Russo CR, Lauretani F, Bandinelli S, Bartali B, Cavazzini C, Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L (2003) High-frequency vibration training increases muscle power in postmenopausal women. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 84:1854–1857

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Hughes VA, Frontera WR, Dallal GE, Lutz KJ, Fisher EC, Evans WJ (1995) Muscle strength and body composition: associations with bone density in older subjects. Med Sci Sports Exerc 27:967–974

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Blain H, Vuillemin A, Teissier A, Hanesse B, Guillemin F, Jeandel C (2001) Influence of muscle strength and body weight and composition on regional bone mineral density in healthy women aged 60 years and over. Gerontology 47:207–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. KOSIS (2010) Population by sex/educational attainment/social activity status (15+). http://kosis.kr/gen_etl/start.jsp?orgId=101&tblId=DT_1PJ1003&conn_path=I2&path=NSI. Accessed 3 July 2012

  45. KOSIS (2010) Distribution of monthly household income. http://kosis.kr/gen_etl/start.jsp?orgId=154&tblId=DT_MOGE_1510000360&conn_path=I2&path=NSI. Accessed 3 July 2012

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Cancer Center, Korea (0610550 and 0910220).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Management, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, 323 Insan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 410-769, Republic of Korea

    Kyee-Zu Kim, Aesun Shin, Jeonghee Lee & Jeongseon Kim

  2. Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Republic of Korea

    Seung-Kwon Myung

  3. Carcinogenesis Research Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Management, Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Republic of Korea

    Seung-Kwon Myung

Authors
  1. Kyee-Zu Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aesun Shin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jeonghee Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Seung-Kwon Myung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jeongseon Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aesun Shin.

Additional information

The authors have stated that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kim, KZ., Shin, A., Lee, J. et al. The Beneficial Effect of Leisure-Time Physical Activity on Bone Mineral Density in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women. Calcif Tissue Int 91, 178–185 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-012-9624-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-012-9624-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation