Active children are less adipose and insulin resistant in early adolescence; evidence from the Mysore Parthenon Cohort

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine whether physical activity volume and intensity in mid-childhood and early adolescence were associated with cardiometabolic risk factors at 13.5\xa0years.MethodsParticipants were recruited from the Mysore Parthenon observational birth cohort. At ages 6–10 and 11–13\xa0years, volume and intensity of physical activity were assessed using AM7164 or GT1M actigraph accelerometers worn for ≥4\xa0days, and expressed as mean counts per day and percentage time spent in light, moderate and vigorous physical activity according to criteria defined by Evenson et al. At 13.5\xa0years, fasting blood samples were collected; lipids, glucose and insulin concentrations were measured and insulin resistance (HOMA) was calculated. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured at the left arm using a Dinamap (Criticon). Anthropometry and bio-impedance analysis were used to assess body size and composition. Metabolic and anthropometric measures were combined to produce a metabolic syndrome risk score.ResultsAt 6–10\xa0years, boys and girls respectively spent a median (IQR) of 1.1 (0.5, 2.0) % and 0.8 (0.4, 1.3) % of recorded time vigorously active. At 11–13\xa0years, boys and girls respectively spent a median (IQR) of 0.8 (0.4, 1.7) % and 0.3 (0.1, 0.6) % of time vigorously active. All of the physical activity parameters were positively correlated between the 6–10\xa0year and the 11–13\xa0year measurements indicating that physical activity tracked from childhood to early adolescence. There were no associations between physical activity at 6–10\xa0years and individual 13.5\xa0year risk factors but % time vigorously active was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome score (B\u2009=\u2009−0.40, 95% CI −0.75, 0.05). Volume of physical activity at 11–13\xa0years was inversely associated with 13.5\xa0year HOMA and fat percentage and vigorous physical activity was associated with HOMA, fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, waist circumference and total: HDL cholesterol ratio. Vigorous physical activity was inversely associated with metabolic syndrome score (B\u2009=\u2009−0.51, 95% CI −0.94, −0.08).ConclusionsVolume and intensity of physical activity in early adolescence were negatively associated with metabolic and anthropometric risk factors. Interventions that aim to increase\xa0adolescent physical activity, especially vigorous, may prevent cardiometabolic disease in later life.