Washington, Feb 28 (IANS) Researchers have found that high-impact activities, such as running, have a greater positive effect in osteoporosis that affects more than 200 million people worldwide.
Resistance training is often recommended to increase and prevent loss of bone mineral density (BMD) although previous studies that examined the effects of resistance training in men produced varied results.

“The results of the study confirm that both resistance training and high-impact endurance activities increase bone mineral density. However, high-impact sports, like running, appear to have a greater beneficial effect,” said Pam Hinton, associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at the Missouri University (MU) College of Human Environmental Sciences.

According to the researchers, the true effects of weight-bearing or resistance exercise are only apparent when controlling for differences in body weight or composition.

People who primarily perform non weight-bearing activities will benefit from resistance training that increases lean body mass, Hinton said.

People who engage in activities such as cycling, swimming, or rowing should add bone-strengthening activities, such as resistance training or running, to their exercise regimens.

In the study, the researchers determined the effects of long-term running, cycling, and resistance training on whole-body and regional BMD, taking into account the effects of body weight and composition, in men aged 19 to 45.

After adjusting for differences in lean body mass, the researchers found that runners had greater spine BMD than cyclists, said an MU release.

The study was published in the February issue of the Journal of Strength Conditioning.