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Physical fitness effect on bone mass is mediated by the independent association between lean mass and bone mass through adolescence: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

We studied 278 adolescents (169 females) aged 13.0–18.5 years to elucidate whether an independent effect of physical fitness and lean mass in the differences between male and female bones can be detected. Lean and fat masses and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured with DXA. Physical fitness was evaluated with six different tests included in the EUROFIT test battery (flexibility, isometric, dynamic and endurance strength, speed, and cardiovascular fitness). To test the independent relationship between physical fitness and bone mass, multiple regression analysis was applied, including lean mass, age, and Tanner development as covariates. The males had a 43% lower fat mass and 40% and 16% higher lean mass and total BMC compared with the females (all P < 0.05). After adjustment for differences in body size and lean mass, the females exhibited a 7.4% higher BMC than the males (P < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis showed that lean mass had an independent relationship with bone mass (P < 0.001), explaining 67% of the total variance in whole-body BMC. In males, change in R 2 was 0.658 for hand grip and 0.035–0.151 for the rest of physical fitness-related variables; but 0.019–0.042 in females (all P–0.001); however, the independent relationships between physical fitness and bone disappeared after controlling for lean mass. In conclusion, it is likely the differences between male and female in bone mass could be explained by differences in lean mass and physical fitness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University School of Health Science and Pediatrics Department, University of Zaragoza, C/Domingo Miral s/n, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    Germán Vicente-Rodríguez, Maria Isabel Mesana, Juan Ezquerra, José A. Casajús & Luis A. Moreno

  2. Faculty of Health and Sport Science, Department of Physiotherapy and Nursing, University of Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain

    Germán Vicente-Rodríguez & José A. Casajús

  3. Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Alejandro Urzanqui, Gloria Blay, Vicente A. Blay & Marcela Gonzalez-Gross

  4. Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain

    Francisco B. Ortega & Jonatan R. Ruiz

Authors
  1. Germán Vicente-Rodríguez
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  2. Alejandro Urzanqui
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  3. Maria Isabel Mesana
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  4. Francisco B. Ortega
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  5. Jonatan R. Ruiz
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  6. Juan Ezquerra
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  7. José A. Casajús
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  8. Gloria Blay
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  9. Vicente A. Blay
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  10. Marcela Gonzalez-Gross
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  11. Luis A. Moreno
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AVENA-Zaragoza Study Group

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Correspondence to Germán Vicente-Rodríguez.

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Vicente-Rodríguez, G., Urzanqui, A., Mesana, M.I. et al. Physical fitness effect on bone mass is mediated by the independent association between lean mass and bone mass through adolescence: a cross-sectional study. J Bone Miner Metab 26, 288–294 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-007-0818-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-007-0818-0

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