Lifelong physical activity increases bone density in men

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/uom-lpa021116.php

Public Release: 11-Feb-2016
Lifelong physical activity increases bone density in men
High-impact exercise during adolescence and young adulthood is linked to greater bone mass in middle-aged men
University of Missouri-Columbia

Men have many reasons to add high-impact and resistance training to their exercise regimens; these reasons include building muscle and shedding fat. Now a University of Missouri researcher has determined another significant benefit to these activities: building bone mass. The study found that individuals who continuously participated in high-impact activities, such as jogging and tennis, during adolescence and young adulthood, had greater hip and lumbar spine bone mineral density than those who did not.

"While osteoporosis is commonly associated with only post-menopausal women, it is, in fact, a serious issue for men as well," said Pamela Hinton, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences. "Indeed, research has shown that the consequences of osteoporosis can be much worse for men, as they are less likely to be diagnosed and are at a greater mortality risk from fractures that occur as a result of a fall."

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