Relatively High Bone Mineral Density in Chinese Adolescent Dancers Despite Lower Energy Intake and Menstrual Disorder

Objective The effect of dietary restriction, intense exercise and menstrual dysfunction on bone mineral density remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the skeletal health status and relationship between bone mineral density and nutrient intake, menstrual status, estrogen level and other factos in Chinese adolescent dancers. Methods Sixty dancers and 77 healthy controls underwent measurements of bone density, body composition, and estrogen level. Nutrient intake, menstrual status and physical activity were assessed with questionnaires. The correlation between these factors were analyzed. Results The dancers under study had a significantly lean body mass index （18.3±1.4 kg/m^2 vs. 21.7±3.1 kg/m^2）, lower percentage of body fat （0.25±0.05 vs. 0.34±0.04） and later age at menarche （14.0±0.9 y vs. 13.0±1.3 y）, and the estrogen level, daily calorie and fat intake in them were also lower than in the controls. All the dancers undertook intensive physical activity every day and up to 69% of them suffered from irregular menarche. Yet they had relatively high BMD and BMC of the total body and legs than the controls after adjusting for BM1 and age. Site-specific BMD was positively correlated to BMI, body composition and training hours per week and negatively correlated to the age at menarche and menstrual frequency. Conclusions The relatively high BMD and BMC of the dancers at the total body and legs were probably caused by high levels of weight-bearing physical activity. To ameliorate disordered eating, especially low energy intake might be helpful to prevent the Triad and to improve the bone health in adolescent dancers.

Correlation of Serum Leptin Level with Bone Mineral Density and Bone Turnover Markers in Chinese Adolescent Dancers

Objective To investigate plasma leptin concentrations in adolescent female dancers and to determine whether leptin has some effects on their bone mineral density （BMD） and bone turnover markers. Methods Sixty dancers aged 15-17 years and 77 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Bone mineral density （BMD） and body composition were detected by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum leptin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay （RIA）. Two bone turnover markers, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase （BAP） and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase（TRACP）, were determined by ELISA. Results The dancers had a lower fat mass and a lower leptin level than the controls, while they had a relatively higher BMD of the total body and legs after adjustment for BMI and age. The levels of bone resorption and formation of markers were higher in the dancers than in the controls. Leptin was positively correlated with BMI, body weight, fat mass, and percentage of body fat. In dancers, Leptin was positively correlated with the BMD of the total body and the left leg. However, after adjustment for BMI, no correlation of serum leptin concentrations with BMD values was found in either dancers or controls. Nor correlation was found between leptin and bone turnover markers after adjustment for BMI. Conelusion The leptin profile is different between the controls and the dancers with a lower BMI and a lower fat mass. Circulating plasma leptin level depends on BMI and is not a direct determinant of BMD in Chinese adolescent dancers.

Why Did the Reform Fail?The Impact of the Personnel System Reform on Teachers in Jia County of China

Over recent years,the reform-driven development of education has been one primary idea of the Chinese government under the leadership of Xi Jinping.Above all,the reform of the personnel system,closely related to the interests of teachers,becomes the most sensitive link in the educational reform.To root out the restriction of education system on teachers and enhance their enthusiasm for work,Jia County carried out a reform of teacher personnel system from 2013 to 2016,including breaking the hierarchical restriction on teachers’administrative promotion,decentralizing the power of confirming the teachers’professional titles,eliminating the teachers with the worst performances,practicing performance salary,and other measures.In this study,we tracked 627 teachers regarding their work enthusiasm and stress during the three-year reform,analyzed the data through the Hierarchical Linear Model(HLM),and found that:(1)The teachers’enthusiasm for work increased over time,but did not significantly change with the consideration of the influence of the principals’leadership in teaching.The personnel system reform aiming at motivating teachers failed to work as expected.(2)The teachers’work stress still increased year by year.Therefore,this study concludes that the reform in Jia County failed to fulfill its goals and that the vigorous top-down reform did not lead to ideal results.A reason might be that the reform damaged the vested interests of teachers who represent the deep-rooted nepotism typically in the Chinese education community.Reforms of educational personnel system should give schools a full play regarding educational governance in the future.