Peak bone mass – the highest level of bone density achieved in a lifetime – typically occurs when a person reaches their late 20s or early 30s. The higher the peak bone mass, the more protection provided against osteoporosis or fractures. Findings from a new study demonstrate that high intensity exercise early in life is critical for optimizing bone mass.
The authors of the study drew on data from more than 2,500 healthy male and female children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a prospective birth cohort study conducted in England. They collected physical activity measurements up to four times using accelerometers at the age of 12, 14, 16, and/or 25 years. They measured femur neck bone mineral density at age 25 years using dual-energy radiography absorptiometry (also known as DEXA) hip scans.
The data indicated that, in general, the males engaged in more high-intensity exercise and had greater bone mass than the females. It also appeared that engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity during adolescence (especially early adolescence) was more important than in adulthood. Some evidence suggested that higher impact activities like jumping were related to having stronger hips at the age of 25 years.
These findings suggest that high-intensity exercise promotes peak bone mass accretion and supports public health interventions to encourage activity during early life.
The science digest is a special email we send out just twice per month to members of our premium community. It covers in-depth science on familiar FoundMyFitness related topics.
If you're interested in trying out a few issues for free, enter your email below or click here to learn more about the benefits of premium membership here.