Search Results (101)

Gaming has evolved into a cultural phenomenon with a global reach, captivating millions of individuals. Nevertheless, little is known about this population. We aim to physiologically characterise the Portuguese gamers, bearing in mind that phase angle (PhA) is a general indicator of health, to check possible correlations between body composition, strength, and nutrition. A sample of 35 male gamers (individuals who play video games) was evaluated for anthropometry; body composition through DXA for whole-body bone mineral content (BMC), fat-free mass (FFM, kg), fat mass, and visceral adipose tissue, and through BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) for total body water (TBW), water pools (extracellular water and intracellular water, ICW), and PhA; strength through maximal isometric handgrip strength using a dynamometer; and nutritional intake using a three-day food record. Results show that participants are within reference metrics for all the analysed variables except regarding protein and carbohydrate intake (all values are above and below the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between PhA and TBW, ICW, handgrip strength, BMC and FFM, and a negative correlation with fat mass (absolute, percentage and visceral). In conclusion, PhA correlates with body composition variables, which aligns with previous research as a predictor of health and performance. Full article

Background/Objectives: To investigate associations between Follistatin (FST) gene polymorphisms (SNPs) and baseline musculoskeletal traits, and their interactions with 16-week exercise interventions. Methods: A cohort of 470 untrained Northern Han Chinese adults (208 males, 262 females), sourced from the “Research on Key Technologies for an Exercise and Fitness Expert Guidance System” project, was analyzed. These participants were previously randomly assigned to one of four exercise groups (Hill, Running, Cycling, Combined) or a non-exercising Control group, and completed their respective 16-week protocols. Body composition, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and serum follistatin levels were all assessed pre- and post-intervention. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was utilized for the body composition, BMC, and BMD measurements. FST SNPs (rs3797296, rs3797297) were genotyped using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS) or microarrays. To elucidate the biological mechanisms, we performed in silico functional analyses for rs3797296 and rs3797297. Results: Baseline: In females only, the rs3797297 T allele was associated with higher muscle mass (β = 1.159, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.202–2.116, P_{_adj} = 0.034) and BMC (β = 0.127, 95% CI: 0.039–0.215, P_{_adj} = 0.009), with the BMC effect significantly mediated by muscle mass. Exercise Response: Interventions improved body composition, particularly in females. Gene-Exercise Interaction: A significant interaction occurred exclusively in women undertaking hill climbing: the rs3797296 G allele was associated with attenuated muscle mass gains (β = −1.126 kg, 95% CI: −1.767 to −0.485, P_{_adj} = 0.034). Baseline follistatin correlated with body composition (stronger in males) and increased post-exercise (primarily in males, Hill/Running groups) but did not mediate SNP effects on exercise adaptation. Functional annotation revealed that rs3797297 is a likely causal variant, acting as a skeletal muscle eQTL for the mitochondrial gene NDUFS4, suggesting a mechanism involving muscle bioenergetics. Conclusions: Findings indicate that FST polymorphisms associate with musculoskeletal traits in Northern Han Chinese. Mechanistic insights from functional annotation reveal potential pathways for these associations, highlighting the potential utility of these genetic markers for optimizing training program design. Full article

Background: Sport plays an important role in the health promotion of people with cerebral palsy (CP). However, risk factors may impair sport performance and health in non-ambulatory athletes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore body composition and bone health in a group of world-class Boccia players with CP. Methods: Five BC2-class players with CP, aged 15–42 years old, were assessed using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) for body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC). The fat mass index (kg/m²) was used to define obesity, and the BMD Z-score used to analyze bone health. A preliminary indicator of sarcopenia was considered using the appendicular lean mass index. Results: Players 1 and 3 exhibited similar body compositions (obesity class 1 and BMD Z-score are below the expected range for age). Player 5 exhibited multiple health-related risk factors. The results regarding youth players (Player 2 and Player 4) should be analyzed with caution. Conclusions: Overall, due to Boccia’s specific characteristics, players may benefit from close monitoring by multidisciplinary teams and supplementary strategies (e.g., strength training, individualized diet plans) to promote quality of life and performance. However, further research is needed to confirm the data, since these preliminary findings do not allow for broader generalizations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bone mineral density (BMD) loss leads to osteoporosis, significantly increasing fracture risk in both the axial and peripheral skeleton. The extent to which it is possible to estimate the degree of osteoporosis in the hip by determining the density in Hounsfield Unit (HU) measurements derived from computed tomography (CT) scans and to calculate quantitative BMD and T values from the HU values should be examined. Methods: A total of 240 patients (mean age: 64.9 ± 13.1 years, BMI: 26.8 ± 6.8 kg/m²) underwent CT-based BMD assessments using CTXA-Hip. Subregions of the proximal femur, including the femoral head, femoral neck, and intertrochanteric region, were analyzed for cancellous density in HUs using circular and irregular region-of-interest (ROI) measurements. Correlations between HU values and DEXA-equivalent BMD (mg/cm²) and T values were computed. Predictive power for osteoporosis was evaluated using ROC curve analysis. Results: Cancellous bone density in the proximal femur showed a significant decline with increasing age and decreasing BMI (p < 0.05). The median BMD for the entire hip was 0.684 mg/cm², and the median HU value for the proximal femur was 123.15. Strong correlations were observed between HU values and BMD (R² = 0.904, p < 0.001) and T values (R² = 0.911, p < 0.001). A T value of −2.5 corresponded to an HU value of 95.79 in the entire femur. ROC analysis demonstrated high sensitivity (0.92) and specificity (0.93) for HU-based osteoporosis prediction. Conclusions: HU measurements provide a reliable method for estimating BMD and T values in the proximal femur, offering a valuable diagnostic tool for osteoporosis. The highest predictive accuracy was achieved when using an irregular ROI from the entire proximal femoral region. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bone maturation and development are crucial for growth and development, especially in children and adolescents; however, some qualitative methods, such as Greulich & Pyle, do not provide accurate data. Our aim is to verify whether skeletal age (SA) can predict and correlate with bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and body composition (BC). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 115 male adolescents (ages 12.1–15.8 years). Skeletal age was assessed using the Tanner–Whitehouse 3 (TW3) method, while BMC, BMD, and BC were measured using full-body DXA. Anthropometric data, including height and body mass, were also recorded. Statistical analysis included descriptive methods and bivariate correlation coefficients. Results: SA was significantly correlated with stature (r = 0.598, p = 0.001) and body mass (r = 0.517, p = 0.001), showing a stronger association than chronological age (CA) for these variables. Body composition variables, including lean mass (LM) (r = 0.521, p = 0.001) and fat tissue (FT) (r = 0.522, p = 0.001), also showed a stronger correlation with SA than CA. However, associations between SA and bone parameters were weaker: BMC (r = 0.103, p = 0.275) and BMD (r = 0.161, p = 0.086) did not reach statistical significance. When stratified by SA/CA tertiles, individuals in the highest tertile exhibited slightly greater BMC (1439 ± 108.32 g) and BMD (1.028 ± 0.127 g/cm²), though without a significant effect. These findings suggest a dynamic but complex relationship between skeletal age and bone development. Conclusions: SA demonstrates a stronger association with anthropometric and body composition variables than CA, highlighting its potential as a predictor of growth used in conjunction with LM and FM. However, its relationship with BMD and BMC remains inconclusive, warranting further longitudinal research, considering limitations regarding nutritional intake. Full article

The objective of this study was to characterize bone, muscle, and fat measurements in early adulthood by youth sport participation. The study sample included 328 Iowa Bone Development Study participants (184 females). Organized sport participation was longitudinally assessed (14 times on average) using a physical activity questionnaire from age 6 to 17 years. At age 23 years, bone, lean mass (a proxy measure of muscle mass), and fat mass were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Tibial bone stiffness, a bone strength indicator, was determined using high-resolution multi-row detector computed tomography (CT) and Finite Element Analysis. Longitudinal youth sport participation patterns were categorized into consistent participation, drop-out, and no participation. Sex-specific multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between youth sport participation patterns and bone mineral content (BMC), lean mass index (LMI), fat mass index (FMI), BMC-to-lean ratio, lean-to-fat ratio, and tibial bone stiffness at age 23 years. After adjusting for covariates, males in the consistent youth sport participation and drop-out groups had 377 g and 192 g higher BMC, 1.6 kg/m² and 1.5 kg/m² higher LMI, and 112 kN/mm and 76 kN/mm higher bone stiffness at age 23, compared to males in the no-participation group (p < 0.01). Females in the consistent youth sport participation group had 1.4 kg/m² lower FMI at age 23, compared to females in the no-participation group (p = 0.04). The BMC-to-lean ratio was higher among males (p = 0.02) and females (p < 0.01) in the consistent participation group, compared to their counterparts in the no-participation group; the lean-to-fat ratio also tended to be higher in males (p = 0.06) and females (p = 0.11). This study suggests sex differences in the benefits of youth sport participation on adulthood body compartments: healthier bone and muscle for males and healthier body fat for females. This study provides evidence to support the promotion of youth sport participation for healthy body composition later in life. Full article

In order to optimize body composition and its components, it is of interest to analyze inter-limb asymmetries in athletes of popular combat sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This study aimed to assess the magnitude and direction of body composition asymmetry in competitive male BJJ athletes. Seventeen experienced and competitive male BJJ athletes (age 34.59 ± 8.00 years, 172.94 ± 5.46 cm, BJJ experience 7.88 ± 5.57 years, and 3.71 ± 1.05 days of weekly volume training), including Guard Fighters (n = 7) and Pass Fighters (n = 10), participated in this study. In a single session, whole-body and segmental upper limb and lower limb body composition (BC) was assessed utilizing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The assessment included total mass (TM), fat mass (FM), fat mass percentage (%FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and bone mineral content (BMC). Absolute differences between limbs were analyzed using a paired t-test. A comparison of BC asymmetries according to combat styles was conducted using an independent t-test. The effect size (ES) was interpreted as Cohen’s d. The main results revealed significant asymmetries in the upper limbs (ULs) of the total group; greater values were found on the left side for TM (p = 0.009, ES = 0.725), FM (p = 0.016, ES = 0.650), FFM (p = 0.026, ES = 0.594), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 0.993). In Pass Fighters, differences favored the right side in TM (p = 0.003, ES = 1.277), FM (p = 0.009, ES = 1.039), FFM (p = 0.011, ES = 1.000), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 1.916). In contrast, Guard Fighters showed no discrepancies in these parameters. No notable disparities were observed in the lower limbs. This pilot study reveals that BJJ athletes present significant asymmetries in BC, particularly in the ULs, with a marked predominance on the right side, especially in Pass Fighters. Full article

Body composition and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) are vital for optimizing sports performance, but the correlations between them are still underexplored. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between body composition and specific CPET variables describing physical fitness in young athletes, also adjusting for age and height, in a less-studied, female population. Seventy players participated in our study (age: 16.10 ± 1.63 y). After determining body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, we conducted treadmill-based maximal-intensity CPET. Data were analyzed in R using multivariate linear regression, accounting for age and height as confounders. Lean body mass (LBM), body fat mass (BFM), and bone mineral content (BMC) showed no effect on resting, maximum, or recovery heart rates and no correlation with resting or maximal lactate values. LBM positively correlated with maximum ventilation (VE-max) (Est: 1.3 × 10⁻³; SE: 6.1 × 10⁻⁴; p < 0.05) and maximum absolute oxygen consumption (VO2_abs-max) (Est: 7.710⁻⁵; SE: 6.9 × 10⁻⁶; p < 0.001)—with age as an influencing factor for VE-max and height as an influencing factor for VO2_abs-max. Conversely, BFM showed a negative correlation with maximum relative oxygen consumption (VO2_rel-max) (Est: −4.8 × 10⁻⁴; SE: 1.2 × 10⁻⁴; p < 0.001). Moreover, BFM and BMC were also negatively correlated with maximal exercise duration (Est: −2.2 × 10⁻⁴; SE: 8.0 × 10⁻⁵; p < 0.01; Est: −3.2 × 10⁻³; SE: 1.4 × 10⁻³; p < 0.05) with height as an influencing factor. Our findings indicate complex correlations between body composition and CPET parameters, providing important information for the analysis of individual ergospirometric data. Our results draw attention to the fact that body composition is more precise than weight and height in the evaluation of athletes’ physical fitness. Full article

Background and Aims: Soft drink consumption is suspected to negatively impact bone health in children, but longitudinal evidence is limited. This study assessed the association between soft drink intake and bone health outcomes in Danish schoolchildren aged 7.7–12 years, within a physical activity intervention framework. Methods: This study was nested in the CHAMPS-DK trial, a quasi-experimental study. Participants (n = 529) were recruited from intervention schools offering 270 min of physical education (PE) per week (active arm) and control schools with 90 min of standard PE. Soft drink intake was assessed via a food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure Bone Mineral Content (BMC), Bone Area (BA), and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) at baseline and two-year follow-up (primary outcomes). Fracture incidence over a five-year period was recorded using the SMS-Track parental reporting system (secondary outcome). Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression and Weibull survival models were used to analyze associations. Results: Soft drink intake of more than twice per month did not significantly affect BMC, BA, or BMD over two years (Total body BMD: β = 0.004; 95% CI: (−0.007; 0.016). Adjustment for confounders such as age, sex, BMI, pubertal status, socioeconomic status, and physical activity did not change the results. Additionally, no significant difference in fracture risk was observed (HR = 0.86; 95% CI: [0.43; 1.71]). Conclusions: Soft drink intake had no measurable impact on bone health indices or fracture risk in children, irrespective of PE intervention. Future studies should investigate the effects of specific soft drink types (carbonated vs. non-carbonated) on bone development. Full article

Background: Undernutrition impairs linear growth while restoration of nutritional provisions leads to accelerated growth patterns. However, the composition of the nutrition provided is key to facilitating effective catch-up growth without compromising bone quantity, quality, and long-term health. Methods: We evaluated the role of a whey protein concentrate enriched in bovine milk exosomes (BMEs) in modulating the proliferative properties of human chondrocytes in vitro and studied how these effects might impact bone quantity and quality measured as longitudinal tibia growth, bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), and trabecular micro-CT parameters in stunted rats during catch-up growth. Results: BMEs promoted proliferation in C28/I2 human chondrocytes mediated by mTOR-Akt signaling. In a stunting rat model, two-week supplementation with BMEs during refeeding was associated with improved tibia BMD, trabecular microstructure (trabecular number (Tb. N.) and space (Tb. Sp.)), and a more active growth plate (higher volume, surface, and thickness) compared to non-supplemented stunted rats. Positive effects on physis translated to significantly longer tibias without compromising bone quality when extending the refeeding period for another two weeks. Conclusions: Overall, BME supplementation positively contributed to longitudinal bone growth and improved bone quantity and quality during catch-up growth. These findings might be relevant for improving diets aimed at addressing the nutritional needs of children undergoing undernutrition during early life. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) spheroids combined with the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in a mouse femur fracture model. To begin, MSC spheroids were generated, and the expression of key trophic factors (bFGF Bmp2, and Vegfa) was assessed using quantitative PCR (qPCR). A binding assay confirmed the interaction between the bFGF and the spheroids’ extracellular matrix. The spheroid cultures significantly upregulated bFGF, Bmp2, and Vegfa expression compared to the monolayers (p < 0.001), and the binding assay demonstrated effective bFGF binding to the MSC spheroids. Following these in vitro assessments, the mice were divided into five groups for the in vivo study: (1) no treatment (control), (2) spheroids alone, (3) bFGF alone, (4) bFGF-loaded spheroids (bFGF-spheroids), and (5) non-viable (frozen) bFGF-loaded spheroids (bFGF-dSpheroids). Bone formation was analyzed by a micro-CT, measuring the bone volume (BV) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the mice four weeks post-fracture. A high dose of the bFGF (10 µg) significantly promoted bone formation regardless of the presence of spheroids, as evidenced by the increases in BV (bFGF, p = 0.010; bFGF-spheroids, p = 0.006; bFGF-dSpheroids, p = 0.032) and BMC (bFGF, p = 0.023; bFGF-spheroids, p = 0.004; bFGF-dSpheroids, p = 0.014), compared to the controls. In contrast, a low dose of the bFGF (1 µg) combined with the MSC spheroids significantly increased BV and BMC compared to the control (BV, p = 0.012; BMC, p = 0.015), bFGF alone (BV, p = 0.012; BMC, p = 0.008), and spheroid (BV, p < 0.001; BMC, p < 0.001) groups. A low dose of the bFGF alone did not significantly promote bone formation (p > 0.05). The non-viable (frozen) spheroids loaded with a low dose of the bFGF resulted in a higher BV and BMC compared to the spheroids alone (BV, p = 0.003; BMC, p = 0.017), though the effect was less pronounced than in the viable spheroids. These findings demonstrate the synergistic effect of the bFGF and MSC spheroids on bone regeneration. The increased expression of the BMP-2 and VEGF observed in the initial experiments, coupled with the enhanced bone formation in vivo, highlight the therapeutic potential of this combination. Future studies will aim to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and assess the long-term outcomes for bone repair strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: In children, an association exists between muscle and bone, as well as between physical activity and osteogenesis. Impact loading is a factor in increasing bone accrual during growth. In this work, we explored the muscle–bone association in girls exposed to long-term physical activity at different levels of impact loading. Methods: Four groups of girls aged 7–16 were considered. The curricular (C; n = 22) group only had curricular physical activity at school (2 h/w). In addition to curricular physical activity, the girls in the dance (D; n = 21), gymnastics at lower training (GL; n = 14), and gymnastics at higher training (GH; n = 20) groups had 2 h/w, 4 h/w, and 4 h/w < training ≤ 12 h/w additional physical activity, respectively, for at least one year. A visual analysis estimated the respective amounts of impact-loading activity. The bone mineral content (BMC), areal bone mineral density (aBMD), and fat-free soft tissue mass (FFSTM) were assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The results showed that, after adjusting for several confounders, statistically significant correlations were present between muscle mass and several bone mineral variables. A regression analysis confirmed the correlation in the data, and showed the marginal role of other body composition variables and physical activity for predicting BMC and BMD. Conclusion: Skeletal muscle mass is a major determinant of the BMC and BMD of the TBLH, as well as of the Appendicular level, in girls exposed to different amounts of long-term impact-loading physical activity. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of lifelong team handball/football training on regional bone health and body composition in elderly women. Methods: Seventeen elderly women team handball/football players (65.9 ± 5.7 years) and twenty-one untrained age-matched women (controls) (67.7 ± 5.1 years) participated. Whole-body and regional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans of arms, legs, and lower spine (L1–L4) were performed. Results: We observed 8% and 9% higher bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), respectively, at the whole-body level and in the legs and 11.5% higher BMC in the legs in team handball/football players compared to untrained age-matched controls (p < 0.05). Higher total and leg lean body mass (p < 0.05), along with lower total body fat percentage (p < 0.05) and higher T- and Z-scores, markers of fragility risk fracture (0.294 ± 1.461 vs. −0.538 ± 1.031; 1.447 ± 1.278 vs. 0.724 ± 0.823, respectively), were also found in team handball/football players compared to controls (p < 0.05). No significant differences in nutritional habits were observed between groups. Conclusions: Our study suggest that the beneficial effects of lifetime handball/football practice on bone preservation in elderly women occur independently from nutritional intake, which emphasize the potential role of team sports in osteoporosis prevention. Future studies should focus on the cofounding factors and causative mechanisms mediated by team sport practice in osteoporosis prevention. Full article

Ducks (Anatinae) play a crucial role in wetland ecosystems, contributing to seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. This study investigates the skeletal adaptations of three duck species: the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), and Green-Winged Teal (Anas crecca). The focus is on the tibiotarsus and humerus bones to understand how these adaptations support their different locomotion and habitat preferences. Bone samples n = 6 of deceased ducks (both male and female) from each species (for a total of 36 samples) were cleaned and measured for length, weight, and density. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), and mechanical properties like yield force and stiffness were tested using a 3-point bending test. The results show significant differences in body weight, bone weight, and bone length among the species, with Mallards being the largest and Teals the smallest. Male Teals displayed higher relative bone weight (RBW) in their tibia compared to male Mallards, and male Mallards had significantly lower RBW in the humerus compared to the other species. Female Teals had higher RBW than the other species. Teals also exhibited much lower BMD in the tibia, whereas female Mallards had lower BMD in the humerus. The Seedor index revealed that male Mallards had the highest values in the tibia, while female Teals had the lowest. Mechanical testing indicated that Teals had lower yield force and breaking force in the tibia, whereas Mallards showed the highest stiffness in both bones. Tufted Ducks had intermediate values, consistent with their diving behaviour. These findings suggest that the Mallard’s robust bones support its adaptability to various environments and diverse locomotion and foraging strategies. The Teal’s lighter and less dense bones facilitate rapid flight and agility in shallow wetlands. The Tufted Duck’s intermediate bone characteristics reflect its specialization in diving, requiring a balance of strength and flexibility. Understanding these skeletal differences may provide valuable insights into the evolutionary biology and biomechanics of these species, aiding in their conservation and enhancing our knowledge of their roles in wetland ecosystems. By exploring the functional morphology of these ducks, this study aims to shed light on the biomechanical mechanisms that underpin their locomotion and foraging behaviours. Full article

Low bone mineral density (BMD) is common in adults with coeliac disease (CD), even in individuals adhering to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Women are more likely to have low BMD and have an increased risk of osteoporosis, so women with pre-existing low BMD related to CD are at an even higher risk. BMD assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bone quality assessed through quantitative ultrasound (QUS) were investigated in 31 premenopausal women with CD consuming a GFD, and 39 matched healthy controls from the Lower North Island, New Zealand. In addition, bone metabolism and nutrient status were assessed, and four-day diet diaries were used to estimate nutrient intake. No statistically significant differences were found in BMD assessed by DXA between the two groups at the hip, lumbar spine or forearm. However, the parameters measured by the QUS were significantly lower in CD participants. Dietary data indicated significantly lower intakes of energy, dietary fibre, magnesium and phosphorus in women with CD, likely as a result of a reduced intake of wholegrain foods, and suggested that both groups had inadequate intake of calcium. No significant differences were demonstrated in biochemical parameters. BMD and bone biomarkers indicated no differences between coeliac and healthy women in New Zealand. However, these findings suggest that QUS may be more sensitive for the coeliac population, due to the disease’s affect on the trabecular bone, and warrant further research. Full article