Bone Health and Physical Activity Interventions

Bone health reflects a balance between bone formation and resorption, influenced by genetics, nutrition, hormonal status and mechanical loading. Physical activity provides mechanical stimuli that enhance bone mass, density and structural integrity through osteogenic signalling within osteocytes and recruitment of osteoblasts. Weight-bearing and high-impact exercises such as jumping, running and resistance training generate ground reaction forces and muscle contractions that stimulate site-specific bone adaptation. Interventions during critical windows of growth—especially pre- and peri-puberty—can maximise peak bone mass and reduce lifetime fracture risk. In adulthood, maintenance of muscle strength and regular mechanical loading are essential to slow age-related bone loss. Public health strategies advocate daily moderate to vigorous activity, tailored exercise programmes and the integration of bone-strengthening tasks into school curricula and community settings. Translational research emphasises personalised approaches, combining exercise with dietary optimisation and lifestyle support to safeguard skeletal health across the life span.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Age- and sex-specific reference data for bone variables in young athletes have been established in a large cross-sectional cohort. Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, normative centiles for bone mineral content (BMC) and areal bone mineral density (BMD) were generated across five age groups spanning early to late adolescence. The study revealed higher BMC and BMD values in male athletes compared to females from mid-puberty onwards, and provided percentile charts to enhance precision in screening for suboptimal bone accrual. These reference curves support monitoring skeletal development during growth and adjusting training regimens to promote optimal bone health in youth sports populations.

Bone Health and Physical Activity Interventions publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in bone health and physical activity interventions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA): An imaging technique that quantifies bone mineral content and density by measuring the attenuation of two X-ray beams.
Bone mineral content (BMC): The total amount of mineral deposited in bone, expressed in grams, reflecting the quantity of bone mass.
Bone mineral density (BMD): The concentration of mineral per unit area of bone, usually in grams per square centimetre, indicating structural strength.
Osteogenic stimulus: Mechanical or biochemical signals that promote bone formation and mineralisation through activation of osteoblasts and osteocytes.
Centile charts: Reference curves displaying the distribution of a skeletal parameter across a population by age and sex, used to identify deviations from expected growth patterns.

References

1. Reference values for bone mass in young athletes: a cross-sectional study in São Paulo, Brazil. Scientific Reports (2023).
2. Comprehensive health assessment of retired martial arts athletes: bone density, dietary intake, physical activity, and wellbeing. Frontiers in Aging (2025).
3. Effects of Exercise and Sports Intervention and the Involvement Level on the Mineral Health of Different Bone Sites in the Leg, Hip, and Spine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
4. Interrelationship between muscle fitness in childhood and bone mineral density in adulthood: mediation analysis of muscle fitness in adulthood. BMC Public Health (2023).