A 15-year follow-up study of hip bone mineral density and associations with leisure time physical activity. The Tromsø Study 2001–2016

Abstract

Aims The aim was to investigate the long-term association between leisure time physical activity and hip areal bone mineral density (aBMD), in addition to change in hip aBMD over time, in 32–86 years old women and men. Methods Data were retrieved from the 2001, 2007–2008, and 2015–2016 surveys of the Tromsø Study, a longitudinal population study in Norway. Leisure time physical activity was assessed by the four-level Saltin-Grimby Physical Activity Level Scale which refers to physical exertion in the past twelve months. Hip aBMD was assessed by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Linear Mixed Model analysis was used to examine long-term associations between physical activity and hip aBMD (n = 6324). In addition, the annual change in hip aBMD was analyzed in a subsample of 3199 participants. Results Physical activity was significantly and positively associated with total hip aBMD in the overall cohort (pConclusions In this cohort of adult men and women, physical activity levels were positively associated with hip aBMD in a dose-response relationship. Hip aBMD decreased with age, although more pronounced in women than men.