Associations between water-based exercise and resistance training with body composition and bone mineral density in older women: a cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17267/2238-2704rpf.2026.e6535Keywords:
Sarcopenia, Bone Mineral Density, Resistance Training, Water-based Exercise, Older WomenAbstract
BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with decreases in lean mass and bone mineral density (BMD), increasing the risk of sarcopenia and fractures. Resistance training (RT) and water-based exercise (WE) are recommended; however, their comparative associations in older women remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined body composition and DMO in older women practicing RT, WE, or not engaged in structured exercise. METHODS: This study included 67 elderly women (70.5 ± 7.10 years) allocated to a RT group (RTG, n=18), WE group (WEG, n=23), and inactive group (IG, n=26). Body composition and BMD (total body, lumbar, femoral neck, forearm) were assessed by DXA and estimated skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) was estimated. Group-related differences were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Both active groups were associated with greater lean mass compared to IG (RTG: + 30.9%; p = 0.006 and WEG: + 24.9%; p = 0.006). However, only RTG was associated with higher SMMI, being 13.4% (p < 0.001) higher than WEG and 9.0% (p = 0.018) than IG. Likewise, RTG presented higher whole-body BMD (in relation to WEG: + 4.2%; p = 0.012 and IG: + 8.6%; p = 0.029) and femoral neck BMD (in relation to WEG: + 13.4%; p = 0.006 and IG: 12.2%; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: RT and WE were associated with more favorable body composition and BMD profiles in older women, with stronger associations observed for RT. Causal inferences cannot be made due to the cross-sectional design.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Guilherme Ramos Nascimento, Kauã Vieira Ginnari, Aryelle Karla Samuel Gomes Santos, Rita di Cássia de Oliveira Angelo, William Serrano Smethurst, Raphaella Christine Ribeiro Lima, Tainá Maria de Souza Vidal, Wlaldemir Roberto Santos
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
