The purpose of the study was to determine relationship of abdominal fat, adipocytokine, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers in obese male adolescents. Twenty four male adolescents (obese: 12, normal: 12) volunteered to participate in the study. Anthropometry and skeletal maturity were measured. Body composition and bone mineral density were estimated by DXA (Hologic, QDR-4500, USA). Abdominal fat with total adipose tissue (TAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSR) were estimated by computed tomography (ECLOS, HITACH, Japan). Blood samples were obtained for and analysis of adipocytokines including leptin and adiponectin. Bone turnover markers, osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) for bone formation markers and N-terminal telopeptide (NTx), C-terminal telopeptide (CTx) for bone resorption markers were analysed. All data were analyzed utilizing SAS 9.3 (SAS Institute, NC, USA). Independent t-test was used to evaluate the differences between obese adolescents and normal adolescents. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to figure out the relationship between abdominal fat, adipocytokines, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers. Multiple regression analysis was used to find out the factors of abdominal fat which influence on bone mineral density. A level of significance was set at p<.05. The results of the study indicated that fat tissue (p<.001), percent body fat (p<0.001), TAT (p<.001), VAT (p<.001), and SAT (p<0.001) were significantly higher in obese adolescents than normal adolescents. However bone mineral contents were significantly higher in normal adolescents. Normal adolescents have significantly higher whole body BMD and lumber BMD than obese adolescents. Abdominal fat including VAT and SAT related negatively with whole body BMD and lumbar BMD. Leptin related negatively with BMD whereas adiponectin related positively with BMD. NTx for bone resorption marker related positively with abdominal fat. Visceral adipose tissue was a predictor for whole body BMD and lumbar BMD in explaining 46% and 32% in adolescents. In conclusion, obese male adolescents have lower whole body BMD and lumbar BMD than normal adolescents. Abdominal fat including VAT and SAT related negatively with whole body BMD and Lumbar BMD. And leptin and adiponectin were closely related with BMD. Finally, visceral adipose tissue was a predictor for whole body and lumbar BMD in adolescents.
Purpose Osteoporosis is a systemic metabolic bone disease characterized by gradual decrease of bone mass and damage of the bone microstructure. In particular, postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common type in women after menopause. This study aims to investigate the effects of combined exercise training on bone mineral density (BMD) and OPG/RANKL mRNA levels in ovariectomized rats. Methods A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) CON (sham-operation, n=10), (2) OVX (ovariectomy, n=10), (3) OVX-REX (ovariectomy-resistance exercise, n=10), and (4) OVX-ARE (ovariectomy-combined aerobic and resistance exercise, n=10). Combined exercise training was performed on a treadmill and ladder adapted to rats in alternate days (4 days/wk, for 12 wk). Results Compared to the OVX group, all exercise treatments increased BMD and bone breaking force(p<0.05). In the bone turnover markers, serum C-terminal telopeptides of type-1 collagen (CTX-1) was significantly decreased in the exercise groups compared with OVX group and osteocalcin (OC) level was increased in the exercise groups (p<0.05). Additionally, in the exercise groups, expression of OPG mRNA was significantly increased compared with OVX group (p<0.05), and RANKL mRNA was slightly decreased but no significant between groups. Furthermore, OVX-ARE group showed more effects than OVX-REX group. Conclusions These results suggest that combined exercise may be a more effective therapeutic strategy to prevent and delay postmenopausal osteoporosis than resistance-only training.