Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Bone Density: No Link in University Cross-County Athletes

Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Bone Density: No Link in University Cross-County Athletes

Alvin Sherman Library

Bone stress injuries are common among collegiate cross-country runners, occurring at rates of 28.6 and 16.1 per 100,000 athlete-exposures in women and men, respectively. Adequate, individualized dietary patterns have been shown to reduce bone stress injury risk by supporting bone mineral density (BMD); however, there is a lack of consensus on the most advantageous dietary pattern. The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with improved BMD in general populations; however, its relationship to BMD in collegiate athletes remains unclear. Therefore, this study assessed the association between MD adherence and BMD in university competitive cross-country runners. Nineteen participants (sex, 7 male, 12 female; age, 19.4 ± 1.0 yrs; height, 169.5 ± 8.2 cm; mass, 60.4 ± 7.5 kg) underwent BMD assessment using dual x-ray absorptiometry, and MD adherence was measured using a 14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Spearman's rank correlation showed no significant relationship, r(17)= -0.37, p=0.116. MD adherence was not significantly associated with total BMD in university competitive cross-country runners, suggesting that a combination of factors may impact skeletal health than dietary pattern alone.