Functional fitness and bone mineral density in the elderly

Summary Bone quality has been associated with genetic factors and several environmental influences. This study suggests that although functional fitness should be considered in clinical assessments of bone health, body composition appears to have a higher relevance in the explanation of bone health/strength in older people. Purpose This study aims to describe the association between functional fitness (FF), other constitutive factors, and bone health/strength in a large community-dwelling sample of elderly active Portuguese. Methods This cross-sectional study included 401 males and 401 females aged 60–79 years old. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the total body, lumbar spine (LS), and hip region was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In addition, femur strength index (FSI) was determined. FF was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test. Demographic information and a health history were obtained by telephone interview through questionnaire. Results Aerobic endurance and body strength were positively related with hip BMD region in males (0.10