Three-year changes in fitness and adiposity are independently associated with cardiovascular risk factors among young Danish children.
BACKGROUND
It is not clear the extent to which change in adiposity and cardiovascular fitness (CRF) during early childhood are associated with change in cardiovascular risk factors or if associations are independent or interactive.


METHODS
383 Danish children were examined at ages 6 and 9. CRF, sum of skinfolds (SSF), and blood pressure were assessed. Fasting blood samples were used to calculate total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C & LDL-C), triglycerides, insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR. Regression models examined whether CRF change or SSF change were independently or interactively associated with risk variables.


RESULTS
Change in SSF was independently associated with change in TC (z = 4.83, P < .001), LDL-C (z = 4.38, P < .001), systolic (z = 3.45, P < .001), and diastolic (z = 2.45, P = .014) blood pressure. CRF change was independently associated with change in TC (z = -3.86, P < .001), HDL-C (z = 3.85, P < .001), and systolic blood pressure (z = 2.06, P = .040).


CONCLUSIONS
Change in fitness and adiposity were independently associated with the development of cardiovascular risk factors among young children suggesting a need to increase CRF and prevent weight gain early during development to improve cardiovascular health.
Department of Exercise, Nutrition, and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Russell
R
Jago
Karsten
K
Froberg
Ashley R
AR
Cooper
Stig
S
Eiberg
Lars Bo
LB
Andersen
D050154:Adiposity; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids