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Trajectory Analysis of the Four-Year Changes in Body Composition and Bone Mineral Characteristics Among Highly Competitive Male University Long-Distance Runners

Kinoshita, Norimitsu ; Tokita, Masaya and Okuyama, Kenta LU (2025) In American Journal of Human Biology 37(1).
Abstract

Objectives: This study examined long-term changes in body composition and bone mineral characteristics among male long-distance runners from a high-profile university team, focusing on concerns about impaired musculoskeletal development due to extreme leanness and weight management practices in this population. Methods: Trajectory analyses were performed using multilevel modeling of 608 dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry datasets from 109 runners (mean age, height, and weight of 18.0 years, 171.4 cm, and 56.8 kg at baseline, respectively) collected biannually over 4 years. Results: Linear increases in total and regional lean mass (LM) were observed on average, with the increase in leg LM being double that of arm LM (0.07 vs. 0.03 kg per... (More)

Objectives: This study examined long-term changes in body composition and bone mineral characteristics among male long-distance runners from a high-profile university team, focusing on concerns about impaired musculoskeletal development due to extreme leanness and weight management practices in this population. Methods: Trajectory analyses were performed using multilevel modeling of 608 dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry datasets from 109 runners (mean age, height, and weight of 18.0 years, 171.4 cm, and 56.8 kg at baseline, respectively) collected biannually over 4 years. Results: Linear increases in total and regional lean mass (LM) were observed on average, with the increase in leg LM being double that of arm LM (0.07 vs. 0.03 kg per occasion, respectively). Similarly, total bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) exhibited linear growth on average, with BMD accrual being greater in the legs than in the arms (0.004 vs. 0.001 g/cm2 per occasion, respectively). However, rib BMD and BMC were predicted to decrease. Individually predicted growth rates in total LM were significantly associated with those in total BMD (r = 0.347, p < 0.001) and BMC (r = 0.424, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results indicate site-specific musculoskeletal adaptations to intensive long-distance running training. Moreover, a random slope model accurately captured the trajectories of most dependent variables, highlighting the heterogeneity of training responses. The predictive models developed in this study offer practical strategies for identifying runners at risk of suboptimal physical development, thereby facilitating the development of personalized conditioning programs.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bone, leanness, long-distance runner, longitudinal study, multilevel analysis
in
American Journal of Human Biology
volume
37
issue
1
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85208263375
  • pmid:39508272
ISSN
1042-0533
DOI
10.1002/ajhb.24179
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dfaa8b43-f74e-46f3-b3dd-2ecdb46976b7
date added to LUP
2024-12-10 15:23:34
date last changed
2025-07-09 08:30:47
@article{dfaa8b43-f74e-46f3-b3dd-2ecdb46976b7,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: This study examined long-term changes in body composition and bone mineral characteristics among male long-distance runners from a high-profile university team, focusing on concerns about impaired musculoskeletal development due to extreme leanness and weight management practices in this population. Methods: Trajectory analyses were performed using multilevel modeling of 608 dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry datasets from 109 runners (mean age, height, and weight of 18.0 years, 171.4 cm, and 56.8 kg at baseline, respectively) collected biannually over 4 years. Results: Linear increases in total and regional lean mass (LM) were observed on average, with the increase in leg LM being double that of arm LM (0.07 vs. 0.03 kg per occasion, respectively). Similarly, total bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) exhibited linear growth on average, with BMD accrual being greater in the legs than in the arms (0.004 vs. 0.001 g/cm<sup>2</sup> per occasion, respectively). However, rib BMD and BMC were predicted to decrease. Individually predicted growth rates in total LM were significantly associated with those in total BMD (r = 0.347, p &lt; 0.001) and BMC (r = 0.424, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: These results indicate site-specific musculoskeletal adaptations to intensive long-distance running training. Moreover, a random slope model accurately captured the trajectories of most dependent variables, highlighting the heterogeneity of training responses. The predictive models developed in this study offer practical strategies for identifying runners at risk of suboptimal physical development, thereby facilitating the development of personalized conditioning programs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kinoshita, Norimitsu and Tokita, Masaya and Okuyama, Kenta}},
  issn         = {{1042-0533}},
  keywords     = {{bone; leanness; long-distance runner; longitudinal study; multilevel analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Human Biology}},
  title        = {{Trajectory Analysis of the Four-Year Changes in Body Composition and Bone Mineral Characteristics Among Highly Competitive Male University Long-Distance Runners}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.24179}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/ajhb.24179}},
  volume       = {{37}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}