Approved Research

The associations between lifestyle factors, cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal health.

Lay summary

Lifestyle factors, such as nutrition, sleep, sedentary time and physical activity, affect the maintenance of bone, muscle and joint health and may protect or predispose to musculoskeletal conditions during mid/late adulthood. Much of the available literature has considered the impact of individual nutrients or movement behaviours, while we still have limited understanding on the complex interplay of lifestyle factors on outcomes of musculoskeletal health.

The overall goal of this research is to explore the role of lifestyle factors in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions (i.e., conditions that affect bones, muscles or joints) in middle and old adulthood.

Aim 1: Investigate the independent and combined associations of movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary time and sleep) and nutrition (nutrients, foods, dietary patterns) on outcomes of musculoskeletal health.

Aim 2: Identify the optimal movement behaviours and nutritional using compositional analysis methods. 

Aim 3: Examine the indirect associations of movement behaviours and diet on musculoskeletal health and disease through their influence on body composition, metabolites and cardiometabolic profile.

The duration of this project will be 3 years and it has the potential to provide valuable epidemiological evidence regarding the movement and nutritional behaviours for the prevention/treatment of musculoskeletal health conditions that could be incorporated in relevant public health guidelines.