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Body Composition and Physical Fitness Affect Central Hemodynamics in Young Children

Sabrina Köchli1, Arne Deiseroth1, Christoph Hauser1

  • 1Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|November 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is linked to altered central hemodynamics, with higher central pulse pressure but reduced pulse wave reflection. Physical activity and fitness may improve vascular health in children, potentially counteracting early vascular aging.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Vascular Physiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Central hemodynamics are crucial for cardiovascular outcomes in adults.
  • Associations between childhood cardiovascular risk factors and central hemodynamics are not well-established.
  • Understanding these links in children is vital for early CV risk screening.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between obesity, physical activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness with central pulse wave reflection parameters in prepubertal children.
  • To assess how body mass index (BMI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) influence augmentation index (AIx) and central pulse pressure (CPP).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 1,324 primary school children (mean age 7.2 years).
  • Standardized measurements of AIx, AIx@75, CPP, BMI, and CRF.
  • Statistical analysis to determine associations between obesity, fitness, and hemodynamic parameters.

Main Results:

  • Increased BMI was associated with decreased AIx and AIx@75, but increased peak forward pulse wave.
  • Higher CRF was independently linked to lower AIx@75 and reduced reflection magnitude (RM).
  • Girls exhibited higher AIx, AIx@75, and RM compared to boys.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood obesity is associated with higher CPP but diminished pulse wave augmentation.
  • Central blood pressure assessment is valuable for childhood CV risk screening.
  • Physical activity and fitness interventions may improve vascular hemodynamics and mitigate early vascular aging in children.

Keywords:
body mass indexcentral hemodynamicschildrenearly vascular agingphysical fitness

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