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Associations between physical activity, sedentary time and cardiovascular risk factors among Dutch children
Gabrielle Ten Velde1, Guy Plasqui2, Maartje Willeboordse3
1Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Insights
Promoting physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary time (ST) in children is crucial for cardiovascular health. Higher PA and lower ST are linked to better BMI, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness in primary school children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is vital for preventing cardiovascular diseases in children, but previous research yielded inconsistent results due to varied measurement methods.
- Standardized measurements are essential for accurately assessing PA and sedentary time (ST) and their impact on children's cardiovascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of PA and ST in Dutch primary school children using standardized measures.
- To investigate the associations between PA, ST, and cardiovascular risk factors in this population.
Main Methods:
- The study included 503 primary school children (mean age 10 ± 1 years).
- PA (total, light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]) and ST were measured using accelerometers (Actigraph GT3X).
- Cardiovascular risk factors assessed included BMI z-score, waist circumference, blood pressure, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) via the 20-meter shuttle run test.
Main Results:
- Children averaged 57 minutes of MVPA daily, with 42% meeting the guideline of 60 minutes.
- Increased total PA and MVPA were associated with lower BMI z-scores and waist circumference, and higher CRF.
- Increased ST was associated with higher BMI z-scores and waist circumference.
Conclusions:
- This study provides an accurate overview of PA and ST in children using standardized measures.
- PA and ST are significantly associated with key cardiovascular risk factors like BMI, waist circumference, and CRF.
- Promoting MVPA and reducing ST are important strategies for improving children's cardiovascular health.
Introduction:
Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, especially in children. Previous studies which investigated the role of PA and sedentary time (ST) in cardiovascular disease used different measurements and found inconsistent results. The current study used recommended standardized measures and provides an overview of PA and ST among Dutch primary school children and their associations with cardiovascular risk factors.
Methods:
503 children (55% girls, mean age (± SD) 10 ± 1y) were included. PA (total PA, lightPA and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)) and ST were measured with the Actigraph GT3X accelerometer. PA in different domains was measured with the BAECKE questionnaire. Cardiovascular risk factors included BMI z-score, waist circumference, blood pressure (z-score) and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) as measured with the 20 meter shuttle run test.
Results:
Children spent 57 ± 20 min/day (8%) on MVPA and 42% of the children reached the MVPA guideline of 60 min/day. Total PA and MVPA (h/day) were negatively associated with BMI z-score (B = -0.452, p = 0.011) and waist circumference (B = -3.553, p = 0.011) and positively associated with CRF (B = 2.527, p = <0.001). ST was positively associated with BMI z-score (B = 0.108, p = 0.048) and waist circumference (B = 0.920, p = 0.033). No significant associations were found between total PA or PA intensities and blood pressure.
Conclusion:
This study used standardized measures of PA and therefore created an accurate overview of PA, ST and their associations with cardiovascular risk factors. PA and ST were associated with BMI z-score, waist circumference and CRF. The findings emphasize the importance of promoting MVPA in children, but also highlight the potential benefits of reducing ST to improve cardiovascular risk factors.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03440580.
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