New Study Shows Risk of Heart Disease Increases 500 to 600% for Teens with a History of Inactivity During Childhood

A new study, titled "Adolescents with metabolic syndrome have a history of low aerobic fitness and physical activity levels," and published in the journal Dynamic Medicine, have found that the risk of developing heart diseases during the teenage years increases about 600% if the kid has history of inactivity during childhood.

The study was based on following approximately 400 kids (ages 7 to 10) for 7 years in the state of North Carolina. Different factors were evaluated in those kids. Among them: height, body mass, percentage body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Also, the activity level of those kids was evaluated by means of surveys, interviews, and a fitness test.

Almost 7 years later, the same kids were evaluated again. The study showed that around 5% of those kids have developed metabolic syndrome (evaluated as having 3 or more characteristics of the syndrome).

According to the study findings kids with low levels of exercise activity (less than 20 min per day of intense physical activity) were 500 to 600% more prone to have develop 3 or more of the characteristics of what is known as metabolic syndrome (MS).

Metabolic syndrome is a medical disorder or a group of medical disorder of unknown causes that is associated with an increased the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. High blood pressure, visceral adiposity (central obesity), low HDL cholesterol, and low high triglycerides in blood are the main signs of metabolic syndrome although a complete diagnosis is difficult to do since it is a syndrome and not a well-characterized disease. The study found that at least 3 of the mentioned characteristics of MS were observed in teens who had a very low physical activity during childhood.

Dr. Robert McMurray, lead investigator and professor of sports science at the University of North Carolina department of exercise and sports science, said (according to the study) that this is the first time a research study has tracked a group of children over time to investigate if the activity level as kids has something to do with the risk of developing heart disease during the teenager period.

The fact that there is a link between low level of physical activity during childhood and the development of the metabolic syndrome in adolescents (and possibly of heart disease and diabetes later on) could be used by policy makers and medical practitioners as a way to recommend and encourage exercise early in childhood. Efforts should target young children to prevent obesity and heart diseases at later stages of life.

Source:

Adolescents with metabolic syndrome have a history of low fitness and physical activity levels. Dynamic Medicine April 2008, Vol. 7, number 5. URL: http://www.dynamic-med.com/content/7/1/5