Prevalence of Osteopenia According to Physical Fitness in Men: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background : Bone mineral density (BMD) has been associated with fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, and genetic factors such as sex and race. The aim of this study was to determine whether athletic performance in middle-to-old-aged men affected the development of osteopenia. Methods : This cross-sectional study pooled data collected from 3,560 men in their 40-70’s. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine 1-4 and the femoral neck. The fitness tests included strength (grip strength), flexibility (trunk forward flexion), and cardiopulmonary fitness (maximum oxygen consumption, VO₂max). Results : The participants in the normal and osteopenia groups were aged 49.9±5.0 (mean±standard deviation) and 50.4±5.1 years, respectively. Those in the highest quartile (Q4) of VO₂max had a significantly increased risk of having osteopenia (adjusted odds ratio 1.687; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.193-2.387; p=0.003). Participants in the highest quartile (Q4) of grip strength had a significantly higher adjusted odds ratio (1.445) of having osteopenia (95% CI, 1.099-1.857; p=0.009). Finally, flexibility was 1.454 times higher for the lowest group (Q4) than for the highest group (Q1) (95% CI, 1.194-1.887; p=0.003). Conclusion : Higher levels of cardiopulmonary fitness and flexibility in middle-aged men may decrease the prevalence of osteopenia and prevent loss of BMD.