Differences in Bone Mineral Density Among Adolescent Female Tennis Players and Non-Tennis Players

Approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Physical activity (PA) is an important step in preventing osteoporosis and is one of the major determinants of peak bone mass during adolescence. However, type of pa plays an important role when examining the effects of pa on bone mineral density (BMD). Purpose: 1) to determine the differences in BMD among adolescent female tennis players (TP) and non-tennis players (NTP); 2) to determine the differences in body composition (BC) between adolescent female TP and NTP; 3) to determine whether BC variables (weight, fat mass, and lean mass) were predictive of differences in BMD; and 4) to assess osteoporosis knowledge among female high school adolescents. Methods: nineteen female TP and 19 female NTP, aged 14 to 18 years, participated in this study. Lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, and left and right forearm BMD, and BC were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Total osteoporosis knowledge (TOK) was assessed by the osteoporosis knowledge test. One-way ANOVA was used to assess differences between TP and NTP for BMD, BC, and OKT. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of BMD. Results: TP had significantly greater femoral neck BMD than NTP (p = 0.017). In addition, when data were analyzed with an outlier excluded, TP also had significantly greater total hip BMD than NTP (p = 0.02). Although TP had greater BMD for lumbar spine, and dominant arm measurements, these differences were not significantly greater than NTP. There were no significant differences for total body percent fat (p = 0.72), total body lean mass (p = 0.07) or total body fat mass (p = 0.59) between the groups. Collectively, body composition variables (body weight, total body lean mass and total body fat mass) significantly predicted BMD at the femoral neck and hip with lean mass being the best predictor among the three independent variables. A moderate level of knowledge related to osteoporosis was found among female adolescents. In addition, there were no significant differences between TP and NTP for TOK. Conclusion: this study suggests that adolescent female TP have greater femoral neck and total hip BMD than NTP. This difference might play an important role in preventing osteoporosis and decreasing the risk of fractures at the hip later in life.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.E.S. in Exercise Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Ermin, Kevser

Contributors dc:contributor

• Scott Owens
• Martha Bass
• Allison Ford-Wade

• Adolescence
• Bone Mineral Density
• Tennis
• Exercise Science

Repository record dc:identifier

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/100

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:egrove.olemiss.edu:etd-1099