title: Swimming and peak bone mineral density: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: This meta-analysis aims to determine the effects of regular swimming on bone mineral density (BMD) in young adults (18-30 years). A systematic search was performed in Pubmed, SPORTDiscus and the Cochrane Library from the earliest possible year to March 2016. Swimmers were compared to non-athletic controls (CG) and to high-impact athletes (HIGH). Effect sizes with the Hedges g in random effects models were developed. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analyses. Swimmers presented similar BMD values to CG in whole-body (g = -0.20; P = 0.251), femoral neck (g = -0.05; P = 0.818) and lumbar spine (g = 0.18; P = 0.492); and lower BMD in the whole-body (g = -1.21; P < 0.001), femoral neck (g = -1.51; P < 0.001) and lumbar spine (g = -0.84; P = 0.017) than the HIGH. For the whole-body differences, the higher the latitude the smaller the differences between swimmers and HIGH (B = 0.10; P = 0.001). For the femoral neck differences, age also seemed to reduce the differences between groups (B = 0.19; P = 0.020). Young adult swimmers present similar BMD values than CG and lower values than HIGH.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing , Universidad de Zaragoza , Huesca , Spain.|b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0520-1640
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomez-Bruton
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing , Universidad de Zaragoza , Huesca , Spain.|d redIAPP Reseach Network , Zaragoza , Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5677-1662
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montero-Marín
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing , Universidad de Zaragoza , Huesca , Spain.|b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1132-5906
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Agüero
authors.affiliation: b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.|e Centro Universitario de la Defensa , Zaragoza , Spain.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6492-2512
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez-Cabello
authors.affiliation: d redIAPP Reseach Network , Zaragoza , Spain.|f Miguel Servet University Hospital , Zaragoza , Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Campayo
authors.affiliation: b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.|g Faculty of Health Science (FCS) , Universidad de Zaragoza , Zaragoza , Spain.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing , Universidad de Zaragoza , Huesca , Spain.|b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7215-6931
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Casajús
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Health and Sport Science (FCSD), Department of Physiatry and Nursing , Universidad de Zaragoza , Huesca , Spain.|b GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group , Zaragoza , Spain.|c Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4303-4097
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vicente-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Sport; aquatic; athletics; bone mass; swimmers