Mixed
Physical activity performed during youth confers lifelong benefits in cortical bone size and strength that persist even after cessation of activity, whereas benefits in bone mass are lost.
Encourage high-impact or loading physical activities during youth to maximize bone size and strength. These structural benefits persist lifelong, providing a protective buffer against fractures in old age, even if bone mass declines later. Focus on building a larger, stronger skeletal frame early in life.
These data indicate that the old adage of 'use it or lose it' is not entirely applicable to the skeleton and that physical activity during youth should be encouraged for lifelong bone health, with the focus being optimization of bone size and strength rather than the current paradigm of increasing mass.
Why this rating
High-quality cross-sectional study using professional athletes as a natural experiment with internal controls, though not a randomized trial.
Source
Physical activity when young provides lifelong benefits to cortical bone size and strength in men
Stuart J. Warden et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2014
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1321605111
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