Vitamin D status and physical activity interact to improve bone mass in adolescents. The HELENA Study

• Published in: Osteoporosis international Vol. 23; no. 8; pp. 2227 - 2237
• Main Authors: Valtueña, J., Gracia-Marco, L., Vicente-Rodríguez, G., González-Gross, M., Huybrechts, I., Rey-López, J. P., Mouratidou, T., Sioen, I., Mesana, M. I., Martínez, A. E. Díaz, Widhalm, K., Moreno, L. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adolescent; Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Body Composition - physiology; Body Weights and Measures; Bone and Bones - physiology; Bone Density - physiology; Bones; Calcifediol - blood; Calcium; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Endocrinology; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motor Activity - physiology; Original Article; Orthopedics; Physical fitness; Rheumatology; Risk Factors; Seasons; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Physical fitness; Bone; Calcium; Physical activity; Vitamin D; Adolescents
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-011-1884-7

Summary The effects of vitamin D concentrations on bone mineral content in adolescents are still unclear. Vitamin D and physical activity (PA) may interact to determine bone mineral content (BMC) in two possible directions; 25(OH)D sufficiency levels improve BMC only in active adolescents, or PA increases BMC in individuals with replete vitamin D levels. Introduction The effects of suboptimal 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) concentrations on BMC in adolescents are still unclear. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of 25(OH)D on BMC in adolescents, considering the effect of body composition, sex, age, Tanner stage, season, calcium and vitamin D intakes, physical fitness and PA. Methods Serum 25(OH)D concentrations, anthropometric measurements, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements, calcium and vitamin D intakes, PA and physical fitness were obtained in 100 Spanish adolescents (47 males), aged 12.5–17.5 years, within the framework of the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study. Relations were examined using ANCOVA and regression analyses including BMC as dependent variable. Results Linear regression of BMC suggested that 25(OH)D concentrations independently influenced total and leg BMC after controlling for age, sex, lean mass, seasonality and calcium intake ( B  = 0.328, p  < 0.05, and B  = 0.221, p  < 0.05, respectively) in the physically active group. No significant influence of 25(OH)D concentrations on BMC was observed in the inactive group. Significant effect was shown between the interaction of 25(OH)D and PA on BMC for the total body and legs (both p  < 0.05). Conclusions Vitamin D and PA may interact to determine BMC. 25(OH)D sufficiency levels improve bone mass only in active adolescents, or PA has a positive influence on BMC in individuals with replete vitamin D levels.