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. 2019 Mar-Apr;27(2):92-94.
doi: 10.1590/1413-785220192702214897.

BONE MINERAL DENSITY AND BODY COMPOSITION IN ELDERLY RUNNERS: SIX-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Angelica Castilho Alonso  1   2   3 , Rita de Cássia Ernandes  2 , Regina Helena Marques Pereira  2 , Ricardo André Becker  1 , Adriana Machado-Lima  1   2 , Paulo Roberto Silva-Santos  1   3 , Julia Maria D'Andréa Greve  1   3 , Luiz Eugênio Garcez-Leme  1   3
Affiliations

BONE MINERAL DENSITY AND BODY COMPOSITION IN ELDERLY RUNNERS: SIX-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Angelica Castilho Alonso et al. Acta Ortop Bras. 2019 Mar-Apr.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition over a six-year period in elderly long-distance runners.

Methods: We analyzed the medical records of elderly athletes who were long-distance runners, were participants of the IOT-HCFMUSP Orthogeriatric Group, and had their BMD evaluated between 2001 and 2007; of these athletes, 11 were included in the study. Inclusion criteria: athletes should be long-distance runners, should not stop long-distance running during the six-year period, and should have undergone BMD and body composition evaluations. Body composition was evaluated using bone densitometry with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry with a Lunar-DPX device.

Results: Over the six-year period, body composition remained stable, but there was a significant increase only in the fat percentage (p = 0.003).

Conclusion: Long-distance running may maintain BMD but may lead to an increase in the fat percentage in elderly runners. Level of Evidence II; Prognostic Study - Investigating the Effect of Patient Characteristics on Disease Outcome.

Objetivo: Acompanhar a densidade mineral óssea (DMO) e a composição corporal, ao longo de seis anos, em idosos corredores de longa distância.

Métodos: analisamos os prontuários médicos de um grupo de atletas idosos, corredores de longa distância, participantes do Grupo de Ortogeriatria do IOT-HC-FMUSP, e reunimos todos os atletas que tiveram a DMO avaliada no ano de 2001 e de 2007, sendo destes, 11 prontuários selecionados. Critérios de inclusão: ser corredor de longa distância; não parar de correr ao longo dos seis anos e ter os dois exames de DMO e composição corporal avaliados. A composição corporal foi avaliada por meio de densitometria óssea, com uma dupla energia de absorção de raios-X (DEXA), em um aparelho LUNAR-DPX.

Resultados: Ao longo dos seis anos, a composição corpórea se manteve estável, havendo apenas um aumento significante na gordura expressa em (%) (p=0,003).

Conclusão: A corrida de longa distância parece conservar a DMO de idosos corredores, porém com aumento de gordura. Nível do Evidência II; Estudos prognósticos - Investigação do efeito de características de um paciente sobre o desfecho da doença.

Keywords: Body composition; Bone mineral density; Elderly; Running.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. A six-year follow-up of bone mineral density (BMD) levels in elderly long-distance runners.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and the number of weekly training sessions between 2001 and 2007 in elderly long-distance runners.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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