Correlations between Body Composition Components and Bone Mineral Content in Untrained Young Men and Women
type: CreativeWork
description: PURPOSE: Low bone mineral content has been linked to the development of osteoporosis in humans. Research is divided as to whether fat or lean mass plays a more significant role in the development of bone mass. Physical activity has also been shown to increase bone mineral content in adolescents and combat the loss of bone density with aging. The purpose of this study was to examine correlations that exist between bone mineral content and anthropometric and performance measurements in untrained young men and women. METHODS: 78 untrained males (age 22.3±3.7) and 56 females (age 22.8±3.7) completed a battery of baseline testing measures. Anthropometric measurements such as height, weight, and waist circumference were recorded, as well as a Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan to determine body composition, bone mineral content and density. In addition, subjects also completed maximal lower body strength and power tests. RESULTS: The primary finding of this investigation was that body mass shows the strongest correlation to bone mineral content in men, women, and the total group (r=0.740, p=0.00; 0.697, p=0.00; and r=0.797, p=0.00, respectively). When examining the components of body mass, lean mass is a stronger predictor of bone mineral content than fat mass in all groups. When examining the men and women grouped together, lean mass showed a correlation of r=0.795 (p=0.00) while fat mass did not correlate to BMC (r=0.263; p=0.00). Though the correlations for lean and fat mass in the separate male and female groups were not strong correlations, lean mass showed a stronger correlation to BMC than fat (r=0.647, p=0.00 and r=0.667, p=0.00 respectively, for lean mass; r=0.553, p=0.00 and r=0.550, p=0.00 respectively, for fat mass). We found that there were no significant correlations between maximal squat strength and bone mineral content in men or women. CONCLUSIONS: We found that body mass was the strongest predictor of bone mineral content in untrained men and women. As…
abstract: PURPOSE: Low bone mineral content has been linked to the development of osteoporosis in humans. Research is divided as to whether fat or lean mass plays a more significant role in the development of bone mass. Physical activity has also been shown to increase bone mineral content in adolescents and combat the loss of bone density with aging. The purpose of this study was to examine correlations that exist between bone mineral content and anthropometric and performance measurements in untrained young men and women. METHODS: 78 untrained males (age 22.3±3.7) and 56 females (age 22.8±3.7) completed a battery of baseline testing measures. Anthropometric measurements such as height, weight, and waist circumference were recorded, as well as a Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan to determine body composition, bone mineral content and density. In addition, subjects also completed maximal lower body strength and power tests. RESULTS: The primary finding of this investigation was that body mass shows the strongest correlation to bone mineral content in men, women, and the total group (r=0.740, p=0.00; 0.697, p=0.00; and r=0.797, p=0.00, respectively). When examining the components of body mass, lean mass is a stronger predictor of bone mineral content than fat mass in all groups. When examining the men and women grouped together, lean mass showed a correlation of r=0.795 (p=0.00) while fat mass did not correlate to BMC (r=0.263; p=0.00). Though the correlations for lean and fat mass in the separate male and female groups were not strong correlations, lean mass showed a stronger correlation to BMC than fat (r=0.647, p=0.00 and r=0.667, p=0.00 respectively, for lean mass; r=0.553, p=0.00 and r=0.550, p=0.00 respectively, for fat mass). We found that there were no significant correlations between maximal squat strength and bone mineral content in men or women. CONCLUSIONS: We found that body mass was the strongest predictor of bone mineral content in untrained men and women. As…
author: Burtner, Erin L.
keywords: bone mineral content, fat mass, lean mass, untrained, body composition
date published: 2011-05-07T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:31:45Z
provider: University of Connecticut
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Connecticut