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Updated: Jun 19, 2025
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Comparison of bone mineral density between female amateur triathletes and nonathletes: A cross-sectional study
Guilherme Cruz Correa Netto Soares1, José Geraldo Gomes Barbosa Junior2, Aldo Seffrin2
1Sports Medicine Residency Program, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Purpose:
Physical inactivity is considered an important risk factor for osteoporosis, however, some athletes performing extremely high training volumes can also develop bone mass loss. Moreover, the effect of total body mass or body surface area on bone mineral density remains controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the absolute bone mineral density and bone mineral density adjusted to body surface area between amateur triathletes and nonactive women.
Methods:
Forty-two healthy women (23 amateur triathletes and 19 nonactive individuals) were evaluated for body composition using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system.
Results:
Compared to nonactive women, amateur triathletes exhibited lower body mass index (p < 0.001), lower bone mineral density (p < 0.001), and body surface area (p < 0.001). However, bone mineral density adjusted by body surface area in the triathletes was higher than in the nonactive women (p = 0.03).
Conclusion:
These findings showed that amateur triathles presented lower absolute bone mineral density, but higher bone mineral density adjusted to body surface area. Future studies are recommended to identify if the higher bone mineral density adjusted to body surface area are associated with a lower bone fragility.
