The Relationship between Body Weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of the Lumbar Spine and Femoral Neck in Professional Cyclists of Iran and Tour-de-France

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck in professional cyclists of Iran and Tour-de-France. 40 professional cyclists [(13 professional cyclists having participated in Iran’s first class cycling competitions and 27 professional cyclists of Tour-de-France, age26.17±4.23 yr, height 178.85±7.09 cm, weight 72.50±9.48 kg, cycling participation background 7±2.4 yr))] took part in this study. Data were collected using the BMD assessing device Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). A medical history form was also filled out by a specialist physician. In this research BMD of the lumbar vertebral and femoral neck was measured. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential (Pearson-Correlation Coefficient) statistics was done using SPSS software. The results of this study showed that there was not any significant relationships between BMI and body weight, and BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck in professional cyclists (p>0.05). Discussion and Therefore, BMI and body weight are not good predictors of BMD in professional cyclists. However further studies are required to investigate the effect of other factors such as exposure to sunlight, calcium intake, and individual habits like diet, on the BMD of professional cyclists.