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Updated: May 14, 2026

Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Vascular endothelial function and leisure-time physical activity in adolescents
Katja Pahkala1, Olli J Heinonen, Hanna Lagström
1University of Turku, Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Turku, Finland. katja.pahkala@utu.fi
Leisure-time physical activity positively impacts endothelial function in healthy 13-year-old boys. Higher activity levels correlate with improved brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) responses, suggesting a beneficial effect of exercise on vascular health in young males.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Adolescent Physiology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Endothelial function is crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Exercise training benefits endothelial function in high-risk adolescents.
- The impact of habitual physical activity on endothelial function in healthy adolescents remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between habitual leisure-time physical activity and endothelial function in healthy adolescents.
- To determine if physical activity influences brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in this population.
Main Methods:
- Assessed brachial artery endothelial function using ultrasound in 483 adolescents (age 13).
- Measured physical activity habits via self-administered questionnaires, calculating a leisure-time physical activity index.
- Utilized regression analyses to examine associations between physical activity and FMD, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Leisure-time physical activity index was directly associated with maximum FMD and total FMD response in boys.
- These associations remained significant after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.
- A substantial difference in physical activity (approx. 10 hours/week) corresponded to a ~1% unit difference in maximum FMD in boys.
Conclusions:
- Habitual leisure-time physical activity is directly linked to improved brachial artery FMD in healthy 13-year-old boys.
- This suggests physical activity beneficially influences endothelial function in healthy male adolescents.
- The lack of association in girls might be due to lower overall physical activity levels.
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