Domain-Specific Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Children.

Little is known about the extent that different domains contribute to total sedentary (SED), light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). We aimed to identify domain-specific physical activity (PA) patterns in school-aged children who were assessed by questionnaire and accelerometry. For the study, 298 German school children and adolescents aged 6-17 years wore an accelerometer for one week and completed a PA recall-questionnaire for the same period.

Urinary Mineral Concentrations in European Pre-Adolescent Children and Their Association with Calcaneal Bone Quantitative Ultrasound Measurements.

This study investigates differences and associations between urinary mineral concentrations and calcaneal bone measures assessed by quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) in 4322 children (3.1-11.9 years, 50.

Different osteocalcin forms, markers of metabolic syndrome and anthropometric measures in children within the IDEFICS cohort.

Objective: Osteocalcin (OC), an aboundant non-collagenous bone protein, is inversely associated with parameters of glucose metabolism. Interactions between bone tissue and energy metabolism have not been thoroughly investigated during childhood. This study investigated OC, metabolic parameters and anthropometric characteristics in normal weight and overweight/obese children.

Impact of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and muscle strength on bone stiffness in 2-10-year-old children-cross-sectional results from the IDEFICS study.

Background: Physical activity (PA), weight-bearing exercises (WBE) and muscle strength contribute to skeletal development, while sedentary behaviour (SB) adversely affects bone health. Previous studies examined the isolated effect of PA, SB or muscle strength on bone health, which was usually assessed by x-ray methods, in children. Little is known about the combined effects of these factors on bone stiffness (SI) assessed by quantitative ultrasound.

Association between bone stiffness and nutritional biomarkers combined with weight-bearing exercise, physical activity, and sedentary time in preadolescent children. A case-control study.

Physical activity (PA) and micronutrients such as calcium (Ca), vitamin D (25OHD), and phosphate (PO) are important determinants of skeletal development. This case-control study examined the association of these nutritional biomarkers and different PA behaviours, such as habitual PA, weight-bearing exercise (WBE) and sedentary time (SED) with bone stiffness (SI) in 1819 2-9-year-old children from the IDEFICS study (2007-2008). SI was measured on the calcaneus using quantitative ultrasound.

Understanding the links among neuromedin U gene, beta2-adrenoceptor gene and bone health: an observational study in European children.

Neuromedin U, encoded by the NMU gene, is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that regulates both energy metabolism and bone mass. The beta-2 adrenergic receptor, encoded by the ADRB2 gene, mediates several effects of catecholamine hormones and neurotransmitters in bone. We investigated whether NMU single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes, as well as functional ADRB2 SNPs, are associated with bone stiffness in children from the IDEFICS cohort, also evaluating whether NMU and ADRB2 interact to affect this trait.

The association between childhood stress and body composition, and the role of stress-related lifestyle factors--cross-sectional findings from the baseline ChiBSD survey.

Background: Stress has been hypothesised to be involved in obesity development, also in children. More research is needed into the role of lifestyle factors in this association.

Purpose: This study investigates the cross-sectional relationship between stress and body composition and, more importantly, the possible moderating or mediating role of lifestyle factors.

Influence of birth weight on calcaneal bone stiffness in Belgian preadolescent children.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between birth weight and calcaneal bone stiffness in a large sample of Belgian, healthy, preadolescent children. Participants were 827 children (3.6-11.

Relationship between markers of body fat and calcaneal bone stiffness differs between preschool and primary school children: results from the IDEFICS baseline survey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between markers of body fat and bone status assessed as calcaneal bone stiffness in a large sample of European healthy pre- and primary school children. Participants were 7,447 children from the IDEFICS study (spread over eight different European countries), age 6.1 ± 1.