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Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity and clustered cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents: the HAPPY study

  • Daniel Bailey
    ,
  • Lynne M. Boddy
    ,
  • Louise A. Savory
    ,
  • Sarah J. Denton
    ,
  • Catherine J. Kerr
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

Clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors can occur during childhood and predisposes individuals to cardiometabolic disease. This study calculated clustered cardiometabolic risk in 100 children and adolescents aged 10-14 years (59 girls) and explored differences according to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels and time spent at different physical activity (PA) intensities. CRF was determined using a maximal cycle ergometer test, and PA was assessed using accelerometry. A cardiometabolic risk score was computed as the sum of the standardised scores for waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio, triglycerides and glucose. Differences in clustered cardiometabolic risk between fit and unfit participants, according to previously proposed health-related threshold values, and between tertiles for PA subcomponents were assessed using ANCOVA. Clustered risk was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the fit group (mean 1.21 ± 3.42) compared to the unfit group (mean -0.74 ± 2.22), while no differences existed between tertiles for any subcomponent of PA. Conclusion These findings suggest that CRF may have an important cardioprotective role in children and adolescents and highlights the importance of promoting CRF in youth.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 1317-1323

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

European Journal of Pediatrics (Volume 171, Issue 9)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 15/03/2012

Publication status

Published - 15/03/2012

ISSN

0340-6199

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/225636
  • Scopus: 84865999387

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