Aerobic fitness related to composite risk factor score for CVD in children
Magnus Dencker
1,
1,
Ola Thorsson Magnus K. Karlsson
1
3
Per Wollmer , Lars B. Andersen
2,
Christian Lindén
2,
1) Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
2) Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
3) Institute of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Purpose: Low aerobic fitness (VO2PEAK) is predictive for poor health in adults. We
assessed if VO2PEAK was related to composite risk factor score for CVD in children
aged 8 to 11 years.
Methods: Cross-sectional study of 243 (136 boys and 107 girls) children aged 811 years, recruited from a population-based cohort. Total fat mass (TBF) and
abdominal fat (AFM) were measured by Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Total
body fat was expressed as TBFs percentage of total body mass (BF%). VO2PEAK
was assessed by indirect calorimetry during a maximal exercise test and scaled by
body mass (ml/min/kg). Blood pressure (BP), and resting heart rate (HR) were
measured. Z-scores (Value for the individual-mean value for group)/SD were
calculated, by sex. Sum of z-scores for systolic and diastolic BP, HR, BF%, AFM,
and AFM/TBF were calculated in boys and girls, separately, and used as composite
risk factor score for CVD.
Results: Pearson correlation revealed significant associations between VO2PEAK
and composite risk factor score in both boys (r=-0.45 P<0.05), and in girls (r=0.42, P<0.05). Boys and girls were divided according to tertiles of VO2PEAK. Oneway ANOVA analysis indicated significant differences in composite risk factor
score between the different tertiles of VO2PEAK, in both boys and girls (both
P<0.001, respectively). Higher VO2PEAK was associated with lower composite risk
factor score for CVD in both genders.
Conclusions: Findings from this population-based cohort of young children shows that low
VO2PEAK was associated with an elevated composite risk factor score in both boys and girls.