TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of physical activity on vascular characteristics in young children
AU - Idris, Nikmah Salamia
AU - Evelein, Annemieke M.V.
AU - Geerts, Caroline C.
AU - Sastroasmoro, Sudigdo
AU - Grobbee, Diederick E.
AU - Uiterwaal, Cuno S.P.M.
PY - 2015/5/15
Y1 - 2015/5/15
N2 - Background: Physical activity has long been proposed as an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in adults. We assessed whether physical activity already has an effect on childhood vasculature. Methods: In the Wheezing-Illnesses-Study-in-Leidsche-Rijn birth cohort, we performed vascular ultrasound to measure carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and functional properties (distensibility, elastic modulus) at 5 and 8 years of age. Child typical physical activities were inquired using a questionnaire completed by parents. Linear regression was used with physical activity level, expressed as a standardized value of time-weighted metabolic equivalent (MET) as the independent variable and vascular properties as dependent variables with further confounder adjustment and evaluation for possible body mass index and sex effect modifications. Results: In 595 5-year-old children and in 237 of those who had reached the age of 8 years, we did not find statistically significant associations between total time-weighted MET and each vascular parameter, neither in pooled nor stratified analysis. However, sport activities were associated with thinner cIMT (-3.20 mm/SD, 95% CI-6.34,-0.22, p=0.04) at 5 years of age; a similar pattern was seen for organized sport. This effect was strongest in children in the highest body mass index tertile (-5.38 mm/SD, 95% CI-10.54,-0.19, p=0.04). At the age of 8 years, higher sport level tended to be associated with higher vascular distensibility (2.64-103 kPa/SD, 95% CI-0.18, 5.45, p=0.07) although this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Sport activity may have beneficial effects on arteries of young children, particularly those with higher relative body weight.
AB - Background: Physical activity has long been proposed as an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in adults. We assessed whether physical activity already has an effect on childhood vasculature. Methods: In the Wheezing-Illnesses-Study-in-Leidsche-Rijn birth cohort, we performed vascular ultrasound to measure carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and functional properties (distensibility, elastic modulus) at 5 and 8 years of age. Child typical physical activities were inquired using a questionnaire completed by parents. Linear regression was used with physical activity level, expressed as a standardized value of time-weighted metabolic equivalent (MET) as the independent variable and vascular properties as dependent variables with further confounder adjustment and evaluation for possible body mass index and sex effect modifications. Results: In 595 5-year-old children and in 237 of those who had reached the age of 8 years, we did not find statistically significant associations between total time-weighted MET and each vascular parameter, neither in pooled nor stratified analysis. However, sport activities were associated with thinner cIMT (-3.20 mm/SD, 95% CI-6.34,-0.22, p=0.04) at 5 years of age; a similar pattern was seen for organized sport. This effect was strongest in children in the highest body mass index tertile (-5.38 mm/SD, 95% CI-10.54,-0.19, p=0.04). At the age of 8 years, higher sport level tended to be associated with higher vascular distensibility (2.64-103 kPa/SD, 95% CI-0.18, 5.45, p=0.07) although this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Sport activity may have beneficial effects on arteries of young children, particularly those with higher relative body weight.
KW - Carotid intima-media thickness
KW - child
KW - physical activity
KW - vascular stiffness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84927651208&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/2047487314524869
DO - 10.1177/2047487314524869
M3 - Article
C2 - 24526797
AN - SCOPUS:84927651208
SN - 2047-4873
VL - 22
SP - 656
EP - 664
JO - European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
JF - European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
IS - 5
ER -