An analysis of nutrients intake, related factors of anemia and bone density in ballet dancers

Abstract

The subjects of this study were 18 non-diseased Professional Ballet Dancers(PBD) and 13 non-diseased Student Ballet Dancers(SBD). For the test, diet recording methods were used to analyze nutrients intake. Blood samples were collected from the antecubital vein to analyze related factors of anemia (iron, hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelet) and bone density (calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, parathyroidhormone and Ca2+/Pi ratio). Independent t-tests and Pearson's correlations methods were both used for statistical analyses. In related factors of anemia, iron in PBD was significantly lower than in SBD. In related factors of bone density, vitamin D in PBD was significantly higher than in SBD. There were significant positive correlations between vitamin A and iron, betweenvitamin B6 and iron, as well as between phosphorus and plant lipid. There were also significant inverse correlations between vitamin B2 and platelet, between plant lipid and hematocrit, as well as between plant lipid and platelet.