Categorizing ten sports according to bone and soft tissue profiles in adolescents

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins via the DOI in this recordPurpose: Considering the different loading and training characteristics of the sports practiced during growth, it is important to specify and categorize the bone and soft tissue adaptations in adolescent athletes. This study aimed to categorize ten different loading sports and a non-sport group and identify the differences in bone density and soft tissues. Methods: The sample included 625 adolescents (10 to 17 years of age) of ten sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball, track & field, judo, karate, kung-fu, gymnastics, baseball and swimming) and a non-sport group. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry assessed areal bone mineral density (aBMD), bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) and soft tissues (lean soft tissue and fat mass). The results were adjusted for sex, peak height velocity (PHV) status, lean soft tissue, fat mass and weekly training volume. Results: The comparisons among groups showed that soccer had the highest whole body aBMD (mean SEM: 1.082 g/cm2 0.007) and lower limbs aBMD (1.302g/cm2 0.010). Gymnastics presented the highest upper limbs (0.868 g/cm2 0.012) and whole body BMAD (0.094 g/cm2 0.001). Swimming presented the lowest aBMD values in all skeletal sites (except at the upper limbs) and whole body BMAD. The soft tissue comparisons showed that soccer had the highest lean soft tissue (43.8 kg 0.7). The lowest fat mass was found in gymnastics (8.04 kg 1.0). Conclusion: The present study investigated and categorised for the first time ten different sports according to bone density and soft tissue profiles. Soccer and gymnastics sport groups found to have the highest bone density in most body segments and both sports were among the groups with the lowest fat mass

The Mediating Role of Lean Soft Tissue in the Relationship between Somatic Maturation and Bone Density in Adolescent Practitioners and Non-Practitioners of Sports

This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of lean soft tissue (LST) in the association between somatic maturation and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in adolescents by sex and sport participation. The sample included 558 adolescents (401 males, mean age of 14.0 years) that were practitioners of sports (11 sport modalities, n = 402) and a non-sport group (n = 157). Somatic maturation was assessed by using a validated peak height velocity prediction equation. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess aBMD (upper and lower limbs, spine and total body less head—TBLH) and LST. For both sexes, LST mediated the association between somatic maturation and aBMD at all skeletal sites (mediation percentage ranging from 36.3% to 75.4%). For sport and non-sport groups, the LST also mediated the association between somatic maturation and aBMD at all skeletal sites (mediation percentage ranging from 51.6% to 85.6%). The direct effect was observed in all groups, except for lower limbs and TBLH in the non-sport group. The association between somatic maturation and aBMD was mediated by LST in adolescents of both sexes and regardless of involvement in organized sports. Our findings highlighted the role of improving LST to mitigate the association of somatic maturation with aBMD.São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (FAPESP Process 2013/06963-5, 2015/13543-8, 2016/06920-2, 2017/09182-5, 2018/24164-6 and 2015/19710-3)FAPESP (2017/27234-2)FAPESP (2016/20354-0)“La Caixa” Foundation within the Junior Leader fellowship programme (ID 100010434; code LCF/BQ/PR19/11700007

Relationship between vigorous physical activity and health care costs among adolescents: ABCD Growth Study

Availability of data and materials: The data collected and analyzed during this study are stored by the authors upon authorization by the leader of the Laboratory of InVestigation in Exercise (LIVE) which involves the ABCD Growth Study.Copyright © The Author(s) 2022. Background: The relationship between physical activity and health care costs among adolescents is not yet clear in the literature. Objective: To analyze the relationship between physical activity and annual health care costs among adolescents. Methods: The present sample was composed of 85 adolescents of both sexes with ages ranging from 11 to 18 years (mean age 15.6 ± 2.1). Health care costs were self‐reported every month for 12 months, and information on health care values was verified with local pharmacies, private health care plans, and the National Health Service. The time spent in different physical activity intensities was objectively measured by accelerometers. Confounding variables were: sex, age, somatic maturation, body fatness, blood pressure, and components of dyslipidemia and insulin resist‐ ance. Multivariate models were generated using generalized linear models with gamma distribution and a log‐link function. Results: The overall annual health care cost was US$733.60/ R$ 2,342.38 (medication: US$400.46 / R$ 1,278.66; primary and secondary care: US$333.14 / R$ 1,063.70). The time spent in vigorous physical activity (minutes/day) was negatively related to health care costs (r = ‐0.342 [95% CI: ‐0.537,—0.139]; β = ‐0.06 cents (95% CI: ‐0.089, ‐0.031). Conclusion: Vigorous physical activity seems to be associated with lower health care costs among adolescents.CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico); CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil - Finance Code 001); São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP RAF (Process: 2018/22593-7); WT (Process: 2018/09131-4))