Association between handgrip strength and bone mineral density of Brazilian children and adolescents stratified by sex: a cross-sectional study

Body fat is related to poor motor skills and physical fitness in socially assisted children and adolescents regardless of age, sex, and lean soft tissue

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relationship between body fat (BF), motor skills, and physical fitness in children and adolescents.

METHODS

In total, 216 children and adolescents (143 males and 73 females, aged 5-15 years) from a social project composed this study. Body mass and height were measured to calculate the body mass index (BMI). DXA was used to estimate the percentage of BF and lean soft tissue. The Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) was used to assess motor skills (jumping sideways test corresponds to speed, walking backwards to balance, and moving sideways to laterality), modified pull-ups to measure upper limb strength and the 1-mile run/walk test to estimate maximal oxygen uptake.

RESULTS

In the unadjusted models, BF was a significant negative predictor for almost all motor skills and physical fitness variables measured; jumping sideways (β = -0.168, 95%CI = -0.402; 0.039), walking backwards (β = -0.010, 95%CI = -0.011; -0.008), modified pull-ups (β = -0.045, 95%CI = -0.052; -0.037), and 1-mile run/walk (β = -0.18, 95%CI = -0.39; -0.06), but not moving sideways (β = -0.05, 95%CI = -0.12; 0.05). In the model considering sex and age, the significance remained the same as in the model without adjustment. When we added lean soft tissue to these adjustments, all variables were significant; jumping sideways (β = -0.544, 95%CI = -0.834; -0.253), walking backwards (β = -0.007, 95%CI = -0.010; -0.004), modified pull-up (β = -0.020, 95%CI = -0.028; -0.013), 1-mile run/walk (β = -0.386, 95%CI = -0.505; -0.267), and moving sideways (β = -0.07, 95%CI = -0.14; -0.01).

CONCLUSION

In children and adolescents from a socially assisted background, BF was negatively related to motor skills and physical fitness, regardless of age, sex, and lean soft tissue.

Long-term d-allose administration ameliorates age-related cognitive impairment and loss of bone strength in male mice

Age-related physical and cognitive decline may be ameliorated by consuming functional foods. d-Allose, reported to have multiple health benefits, may temper aging phenotypes, particularly brain function. We investigated whether d-allose supplementation improves cognitive function. A standard battery of behavioral tests was administered to 18-month-old male mice after consuming diet containing 3 % d-allose for 6 months. Following a wire-hanging test, an open-field test, Morris water maze, fear-conditioning, and an analgesia test were sequentially performed. Bone density and strength were assessed afterwards. Possible mechanism(s) under-lying memory changes in hippocampus were also examined with a DNA microarray. d-Allose failed to influence muscle strength, locomotor activity and anxiety, fear memory, or pain sensitivity. However, d-allose improved hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory, and it may contribute to increase bone strength. d-Allose also changed the expression of some genes in hippocampus involved in cognitive functions. Long-term d-allose supplementation appears to modestly change aging phenotypes and improve spatial memory.

Dairy product consumption, eating habits, sedentary behaviour and physical activity association with bone mineral density among adolescent boys: a cross-sectional observational study

BACKGROUND

During childhood and adolescence, skeletal microarchitecture and bone mineral density (BMD) undergo significant changes. Peak bone mass is built and its level significantly affects the condition of bones in later years of life. Understanding the modifiable factors that improve bone parameters at an early age is necessary to early prevent osteoporosis. To identify these modifiable factors we analysed the relationship between dairy product consumption, eating habits, sedentary behaviour, and level of physical activity with BMD in 115 young boys (14-17 years).

METHODS

Bone parameters were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry using paediatric specific software to compile the data. Dairy product consumption and eating habits were assessed by means of a dietary interview. Sedentary behaviour and physical activity was assessed in a face-to-face interview conducted using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Data collection on total physical activity level was performed by collecting information on the number of days and the duration of vigorous and moderate intensity (MVPA) and average daily time spent in sitting (SIT time).

RESULTS

The strongest relationships with BMD in distal part of forearm were found for moderate plus vigorous activity, sit time, and intake of dairy products, intake of calcium, protein, vitamin D, phosphorus from diet. Relationships between BMD, bone mineral content (BMC) in the distal and proximal part of the forearm and PA, sit time and eating parameters were evaluated using the multiple forward stepwise regression. The presented model explained 48-67% (adjusted R2 = 0.48-0.67; p < 0.001) of the variance in bone parameters. The predictor of interactions of three variables: protein intake (g/person/day), vitamin D intake (µg/day) and phosphorus intake (mg/day) was significant for BMD dis (adjusted R2 = 0.59; p < 0.001). The predictor of interactions of two variables: SIT time (h/day) and dairy products (n/day) was significant for BMD prox (adjusted R2 = 0.48; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the predictor of interactions dairy products (n/day), protein intake (g/person/day) and phosphorus intake (mg/day) was significant for BMC prox and dis (adjusted R2 = 0.63-0.67; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High physical activity and optimal eating habits especially adequate intake of important dietary components for bone health such as calcium, protein, vitamin D and phosphorus affect the mineralization of forearm bones.

The bone mineral density and isokinetic knee strength in amputee soccer players

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the isokinetic knee strength, H/Q ratio (%), and bone mineral density values between amputees (n=14; amputee soccer players) and healthy football players (n=14; non-amputee soccer players).

METHODS

A total of 28 amputee soccer players and non-amputee soccer players participated in the study. An isokinetic dynamometer was used to determine the knee flexion/extension forces of the dominant legs of the athletes at 60, 180, and 240°/s. Bone mineral density scans were performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

H/Q ratio and 60º/s flexion and 180 and 240º/s flexion/extension strength (p<0.05) were found to be high (180º/s, p=0.03; 240º/s, p=0.048) in the non-amputee soccer player group. Accordingly, the bone mineral density values of the lumbar vertebra, femoral neck, proximal metaphysis of the femur (p<0.01), tibia/fibula proximal metaphysis, and tibia/fibula distal metaphysis (p<0.05) were found to be high. A correlation was observed between the 60º/s knee extension strength and tibia/fibula diaphyseal bone mineral density (p=0.025; r=0.594) and tibia/fibula distal metaphysis bone mineral density (p=0.017; r=0.623) values in the amputee soccer players group. The Z-scores of the amputee soccer players and non-amputee soccer players were in the expected range according to age (>-2).

CONCLUSION

The bone mineral density, H/Q ratio, and all measured angular velocities of isokinetic strength were high in non-amputee soccer players. This finding made us think that lower extremity amputation may also be associated with losing strength. However, it was observed that the relationship between strength and bone mineral density in amputee athletes might vary according to different angular velocities. It is recommended that isokinetic strength measurement can be evaluated together with bone mineral density in athletes.

Normative values for handgrip strength in Colombian children and adolescents from 6 to 17 years of age: estimation using quantile regression

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is twofold: i) to estimate the normative values for handgrip strength and relative handgrip strength, specific to sex and age, for Colombian children and adolescents from 6 to 17 years of age using quantile regression models and ii) to compare the normative values for handgrip strength and relative handgrip strength in Colombian children and adolescents with those in children and adolescents in different countries.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional analysis of a sample of 2647 youngsters. Handgrip strength was evaluated with a TKK 5101 digital dynamometer (Takei Scientific Instruments Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). The relative handgrip strength was estimated according to weight in kilograms. The normative values were estimated to handgrip strength and relative handgrip strength through quantile regression models for the percentiles P5, P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, and P95 developed independently for each sex. All analyses were adjusted for the expansion factor.

RESULTS

The values for handgrip strength were considerably higher in males than in females in all age ranges. Additionally, as age increased for both sexes, the values for handgrip strength increased. The percentiles by sex and age for relative handgrip strength show for males a proportional increase according to age; for females, this did not occur.

CONCLUSIONS

When making comparisons with international studies, variability is observed in the methodologies used to evaluate handgrip strength and estimation methods, which could influence the discrepancies between the different reports.

Comparison of bone mineral density according to domains of sedentary behavior in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Somatic maturation and the age at onset of puberty are closely related to bone mineral density (BMD), and are potential confounders of the associations between physical activity, sedentary behavior (SB) and BMD in adolescents. Thus the aim was compare BMD at different anatomical sites according to different domains of SB.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 88 young people (54 boys and 34 girls; 9.5 ± 1.5 years). The self-reported SB was measured by the time spent on TV, computer, video game and smartphone. BMD at each location and throughout the body was assessed by DEXA. Physical activity was assessed by a questionnaire. The comparison of the different types of BMD sites according to the SB levels for each screen device and the total SB were analyzed by Covariance Analysis (ANCOVA).

RESULTS

Whole-body BMD was higher in young people with low total SB (Total BMD = 0.957 ± 0.042) than in those with moderate (Total BMD = 0.921 ± 0.053) and high SB (Total BMD = 0.929 ± 0.051) (p-value = 0.011). Children and adolescents with low total SB had higher BMD legs (0.965 ± 0.056) than young people with high total SB (BMD legs = 0.877 ± 0.209), but this relationship was attenuated when the analyzes were adjusted for physical activity (p-value = 0.068).

CONCLUSION

Adolescents with high sedentary behavior tend to have lower whole body bone mineral density than those with low sedentary behavior.