Sports practice and bone mass in prepubertal adolescents and young adults: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Aim: To compare bone mass and body composition variables between adolescents engaged in high-impact sports and adults who were sedentary during early life. Method: A cross-sectional study with 155 participants (64 adolescents and 91 adults) aged between 11 and 50 years old. Among the adults, history of sports was evaluated during face-to-face interviews, and information regarding the adolescents' training routines was provided by their coaches. Body composition was evaluated using Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry which provided data about bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), fat mass (FM), and free fat mass (FFM). Results: Adults who engaged in sports practice during early life had higher values of BMC (ES-r = 0.063), FFM (ES-r = 0.391), and lower values of FM (ES-r = 0.396) than sedentary adults. Higher values of BMC (ES-r = 0.063) and BMD in lower limbs (ES-r = 0.091) were observed in active adolescents. Adolescents engaged in sports and adults who were sedentary in early life presented similar values in all bone variables, FM, and FFM. Conclusions: Sports involvement in early life is related to higher bone mass in adulthood. Adolescents engaged in sports presented similar bone mass to adults who had been sedentary in early life.