title: Lifelong physical activity in maintaining bone strength in older men and women of the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study.
abstract: We examined if lifelong physical activity is important for maintaining bone strength in the elderly. Associations of quantitative computerized tomography-acquired bone measures (vertebral and femoral) and self-reported physical activity in mid-life (mean age, 50 years), in old age (≥65 years), and throughout life (recalled during old age) were investigated in 2,110 men and 2,682 women in the AGES-Reykjavik Study. Results conclude lifelong physical activity with continuation into old age (≥65 years) best maintains better bone health later in life.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Skeletal loading is thought to modulate the loss of bone in later life, and physical activity is a chief means of affecting bone strength by skeletal loading. Despite much discussion regarding lifelong versus early adulthood physical activity for preventing bone loss later in life, inconsistency still exists regarding how to maintain bone mass later in life (≥65 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined if lifelong physical activity is important for maintaining bone strength in the elderly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The associations of quantitative computerized tomography-acquired vertebral and femoral bone measures and self-reported physical activity in mid-life (mean age, 50 years), in old age (≥65 years), and throughout life (recalled during old age) were investigated in 2,110 men and 2,682 women in the AGES-Reykjavik Study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings conclude that lifelong physical activity with continuation into old age (≥65 years) best maintains better bone health in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Medicine, UTHSC Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Nahid.J.Rianon@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Rianon
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eiriksdottir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pajala
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Selwyn
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kapadia
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gudnason
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Launer
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods