Abstract
This 12-month prospective controlled intervention evaluated the effect of a general school based physical activity program on muscle strength, physical performance and body composition in prepubertal girls. Fifty-three girls aged 7–9 years involved in a school based exercise program [40 min/day of general physical activity per school day (200 min/week)] were compared with 50 age-matched girls who participated in the general Swedish physical education curriculum (mean 60 min/week). Body composition (DXA), isokinetic peak torque (PT) of the knee extensors and flexors at 60 and 180°/s, and vertical jump height (VJH) were assessed at baseline and 12 months. The annual gain in weight was similar between the groups, but there was a greater increase in total body and regional lean mass (P < 0.05) and fat mass (P < 0.01) in the exercise group. Mean gains in knee extensor PT at 60 and 180°/s were 7.0–7.6% greater in the exercise group (P ranging <0.05–<0.001). No significant differences were detected in VJH. In conclusion, increasing school based physical education to at least 3 h/week provides a feasible strategy to enhance the development of muscle strength and lean mass in prepubertal girls.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bass S, Pearce G, Bradney M, Hendrich E, Delmas PD, Harding A, Seeman E (1998) Exercise before puberty may confer residual benefits in bone density in adulthood: studies in active prepubertal and retired female gymnasts. J Bone Miner Res 13:500–507. doi:10.1359/jbmr.1998.13.3.500
Bass S, Saxon L, Luliano-Burns S, Naughton G, Daly R, Nowson C, Briganti E, Austen S (2003) Limitations of long term exercise interventions aimed at improving bone health in normally active boys. J Bone Miner Res 18(S2):M151
Baxter-Jones AD, Eisenmann JC, Mirwald RL, Faulkner RA, Bailey DA (2008) The influence of physical activity on lean mass accrual during adolescence: a longitudinal analysis. J Appl Physiol 105:734–741. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00869.2007
Blimkie CJ (1993) Resistance training during preadolescence. Issues and controversies. Sports Med 15:389–407. doi:10.2165/00007256-199315060-00004
Bradney M, Pearce G, Naughton G, Sullivan C, Bass S, Beck T, Carlson J, Seeman E (1998) Moderate exercise during growth in prepubertal boys: changes in bone mass, size, volumetric density, and bone strength: a controlled prospective study. J Bone Miner Res 13:1814–1821. doi:10.1359/jbmr.1998.13.12.1814
Daly RM, Saxon L, Turner CH, Robling AG, Bass SL (2004) The relationship between muscle size and bone geometry during growth and in response to exercise. Bone 34:281–287. doi:10.1016/j.bone.2003.11.009
De Ste Croix MBA, Armstrong N, Welsman JR (1999) Concentric isokinetic leg strength in pre-teen, teenage and adult males and females. Biol Sport 16:75–86
De Ste Croix M, Deighan M, Armstrong N (2003) Assessment and interpretation of isokinetic muscle strength during growth and maturation. Sports Med 33:727–743. doi:10.2165/00007256-200333100-00002
Dencker M, Thorsson O, Karlsson MK, Linden C, Eiberg S, Wollmer P, Andersen LB (2006) Daily physical activity related to body fat in children aged 8–11 years. J Pediatr 149:38–42. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2006.02.002
Duppe H, Gardsell P, Johnell O, Nilsson BE, Ringsberg K (1997) Bone mineral density, muscle strength and physical activity. A population-based study of 332 subjects aged 15–42 years. Acta Orthop Scand 68:97–103
Ellenbecker TS, Roetert EP, Riewald S (2006) Isokinetic profile of wrist and forearm strength in elite female junior tennis players. Br J Sports Med 40:411–414. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2005.023358
Faigenbaum AD, Westcott WL, Loud RL, Long C (1999) The effects of different resistance training protocols on muscular strength and endurance development in children. Pediatrics 104:e5. doi:10.1542/peds.104.1.e5
Formica CA (1999) Total body bone mineral and body composition by absorptiomery. In: Blake GM, Wahner HW, Fogelholm GM (eds) The evaluation of osteoporosis: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasound in clinical practice. Martin Dunitz, London, pp 313–345
Fuchs RK, Bauer JJ, Snow CM (2001) Jumping improves hip and lumbar spine bone mass in prepubescent children: a randomized controlled trial. J Bone Miner Res 16:148–156. doi:10.1359/jbmr.2001.16.1.148
Hernandez CJ, Beaupre GS, Carter DR (2003) A theoretical analysis of the relative influences of peak BMD, age-related bone loss and menopause on the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 14:843–847. doi:10.1007/s00198-003-1454-8
Ingle L, Sleap M, Tolfrey K (2006) The effect of a complex training and detraining programme on selected strength and power variables in early pubertal boys. J Sports Sci 24:987–997. doi:10.1080/02640410500457117
Kanehisa H, Ikegawa S, Tsunoda N, Fukunaga T (1995) Strength and cross-sectional areas of reciprocal muscle groups in the upper arm and thigh during adolescence. Int J Sports Med 16:54–60
Kanehisa H, Kuno S, Katsuta S, Fukunaga T (2006) A 2-year follow-up study on muscle size and dynamic strength in teenage tennis players. Scand J Med Sci Sports 16:93–101. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2005.00470.x
Kuh D, Hardy R, Butterworth S, Okell L, Wadsworth M, Cooper C, Aihie Sayer A (2006) Developmental origins of midlife grip strength: findings from a birth cohort study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 61:702–706
Lillegard WA, Brown EW, Wilson DJ, Henderson R, Lewis E (1997) Efficacy of strength training in prepubescent to early postpubescent males and females: effects of gender and maturity. Pediatr Rehabil 1:147–157
Linden C, Alwis G, Ahlborg H, Gardsell P, Valdimarsson O, Stenevi-Lundgren S, Besjakov J, Karlsson MK (2007) Exercise, bone mass and bone size in prepubertal boys: one-year data from the pediatric osteoporosis prevention study. Scand J Med Sci Sports 17:340–347
Liu YX, Wikland KA, Karlberg J (2000) New reference for the age at childhood onset of growth and secular trend in the timing of puberty in Swedish. Acta Paediatr 89:637–643. doi:10.1080/080352500750043918
Lohman TG (2008) Six-year longitudinal analysis shows physical activity impacts on lean mass development in adolescence. J Appl Physiol 105:403. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90725.2008
Mackelvie KJ, McKay HA, Khan KM, Crocker PR (2001) A school-based exercise intervention augments bone mineral accrual in early pubertal girls. J Pediatr 139:501–508. doi:10.1067/mpd.2001.118190
MacKelvie KJ, Khan KM, Petit MA, Janssen PA, McKay HA (2003) A school-based exercise intervention elicits substantial bone health benefits: a 2-year randomized controlled trial in girls. Pediatrics 112:e447. doi:10.1542/peds.112.6.e447
MacKelvie KJ, Petit MA, Khan KM, Beck TJ, McKay HA (2004) Bone mass and structure are enhanced following a 2-year randomized controlled trial of exercise in prepubertal boys. Bone 34:755–764. doi:10.1016/j.bone.2003.12.017
Malina R, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O (2004) Growth, maturation and physical activity. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL
Matthews BL, Bennell KL, McKay HA, Khan KM, Baxter-Jones AD, Mirwald RL, Wark JD (2006) Dancing for bone health: a 3-year longitudinal study of bone mineral accrual across puberty in female non-elite dancers and controls. Osteoporos Int 17:1043–1054. doi:10.1007/s00198-006-0093-2
Morris FL, Naughton GA, Gibbs JL, Carlson JS, Wark JD (1997) Prospective ten-month exercise intervention in premenarcheal girls: positive effects on bone and lean mass. J Bone Miner Res 12:1453–1462. doi:10.1359/jbmr.1997.12.9.1453
Myer GD, Ford KR, Palumbo JP, Hewett TE (2005) Neuromuscular training improves performance and lower extremity biomechanics in female athletes. J Strength Cond Res 19:51–60. doi:10.1519/13643.1
Ozmun JC, Mikesky AE, Surburg PR (1994) Neuromuscular adaptations following prepubescent strength training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:510–514. doi:10.1249/00005768-199404000-00017
Ramsay JA, Blimkie CJ, Smith K, Garner S, MacDougall JD, Sale DG (1990) Strength training effects in prepubescent boys. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:605–614. doi:10.1249/00005768-199010000-00011
Round JM, Jones DA, Honour JW, Nevill AM (1999) Hormonal factors in the development of differences in strength between boys and girls during adolescence: a longitudinal study. Ann Hum Biol 26:49–62. doi:10.1080/030144699282976
Sopher AB, Thornton JC, Wang J, Pierson RN Jr, Heymsfield SB, Horlick M (2004) Measurement of percentage of body fat in 411 children and adolescents: a comparison of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry with a four-compartment model. Pediatrics 113:1285–1290. doi:10.1542/peds.113.5.1285
Sothern MS, Loftin M, Suskind RM, Udall JN, Blecker U (1999) The health benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents: implications for chronic disease prevention. Eur J Pediatr 158:271–274. doi:10.1007/s004310051070
Treuth MS, Hunter GR, Figueroa-Colon R, Goran MI (1998) Effects of strength training on intra-abdominal adipose tissue in obese prepubertal girls. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:1738–1743. doi:10.1097/00005768-199812000-00013
Valdimarsson O, Linden C, Johnell O, Gardsell P, Karlsson MK (2006) Daily physical education in the school curriculum in prepubertal girls during 1 year is followed by an increase in bone mineral accrual and bone width-data from the prospective controlled Malmo pediatric osteoporosis prevention study. Calcif Tissue Int 78:65–71. doi:10.1007/s00223-005-0096-6
Weltman A, Janney C, Rians CB, Strand K, Berg B, Tippitt S, Wise J, Cahill BR, Katch FI (1986) The effects of hydraulic resistance strength training in pre-pubertal males. Med Sci Sports Exerc 18:629–638. doi:10.1249/00005768-198612000-00005
Wong WW, Hergenroeder AC, Stuff JE, Butte NF, Smith EO, Ellis KJ (2002) Evaluating body fat in girls and female adolescents: advantages and disadvantages of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Am J Clin Nutr 76:384–389
Young D, Hopper JL, Macinnis RJ, Nowson CA, Hoang NH, Wark JD (2001) Changes in body composition as determinants of longitudinal changes in bone mineral measures in 8 to 26-year-old female twins. Osteoporos Int 12:506–515. doi:10.1007/s001980170097
Zanchetta JR, Plotkin H, Alverez Filgueira ML (1995) Bone mass in children: normative values for the 2–20 year-old population. Bone 16:395S–399S
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stenevi-Lundgren, S., Daly, R.M., Lindén, C. et al. Effects of a daily school based physical activity intervention program on muscle development in prepubertal girls. Eur J Appl Physiol 105, 533–541 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0932-2
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0932-2