title: Differences in aerobic fitness and lifestyle characteristics in preschoolers according to their weight status and sports club participation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assesses differences in adiposity, aerobic fitness, and lifestyle characteristics in preschoolers according to their weight status and sports club (SC) participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of the Ballabeina study, 600 randomly selected preschoolers (mean age 5.1 ± 0.6 years; 50.2% girls) were analyzed. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance, aerobic fitness by the 20-meter shuttle run test, and physical activity by accelerometers. Eating habits, media use, and SC participation were assessed by questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overweight children (Swiss national percentiles) and children not participating in SC had both lower aerobic fitness and higher % body fat compared to their respective counterparts (all p ≤ 0.028). In addition, children not participating in SC were less physically active, had more media use, and ate less healthy compared to children participating in SC (all p ≤ 0.023). Controlling for parental sociocultural determinants attenuated differences in % body fat, in physical activity, and in eating habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aerobic fitness differs both according to weight status and SC participation in preschoolers. Furthermore, in view of the many differences in lifestyle behaviors, SC participation at this age could represent a more discriminatory indicator of healthy lifestyle characteristics than weight status.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Sciences, University of Lausanne, Route de Chavannes 33, Lausanne, Switzerland. vincent.ebenegger@unil.ch
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ebenegger
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marques-Vidal
authors.forename: Susi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kriemler
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nydegger
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zahner
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Niederer
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bürgi
authors.forename: Jardena J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Puder
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity; D010290:Parents; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012016:Reference Values; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D013177:Sports; D013557:Switzerland