The Longitudinal Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Adiposity With Clustered Cardiometabolic Risk: A Mediation Analysis.

PURPOSE: Previous literature has demonstrated the mediating role of adiposity in the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cardiometabolic risk as well as the potential role of CRF in attenuating the adverse consequences associated with excess weight. This study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of CRF and adiposity in the possible association with cardiometabolic risk. METHOD: Observational 3-year longitudinal study that included 420 children and adolescents (10.50 [2.05] y of age at baseline; 56.2% girls). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and CRF was evaluated using field assessments. A clustered cardiometabolic risk score (cMetS) was calculated from glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, and triglycerides z scores. Analyses evaluated the mediating role of BMI in the association between CRF and cMetS as well as whether CRF mediated the association between BMI and cMetS. RESULTS: BMI at baseline was directly associated with the cMetS at follow-up (0.102; 95% confidence interval, 0.020 to 0.181), independently of CRF, whereas CRF was only indirectly associated with cMetS at follow-up through BMI (-0.036; 95% confidence interval, -0.070 to -0.009), meaning that the association between CRF and cMetS was explained via the mediation role of BMI. CONCLUSIONS: BMI presented direct association with cMetS, whereas CRF exhibited indirect association with cMetS mediated via BMI.

Incidence of Arterial Hypertension is Associated with Adiposity in Children and Adolescents. / Incidência de Hipertensão Arterial está Associada com Adiposidade em Crianças e Adolescentes.

BACKGROUND: The increase of hypertension in children and adolescents has attracted the attention of the scientific community largely due to its association with the obesity epidemic. OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence of hypertension and its relationship with the cardiometabolic and genetic profile in children and adolescents from a city in southern Brazil in a three-year period. METHODS: This longitudinal study followed 469 children and adolescents, aged 7-17 years old (43.1% boys), assessed at two-time points. We evaluated systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), lipid profile, glucose, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and rs9939609 Polymorphism ( FTO ). Cumulative incidence of hypertension was calculated, and multinomial logistic regression was conducted. The statistical significance was established as p < 0.05. RESULTS: After three years, the incidence of hypertension was 11.5%. Overweight or obese individuals were more likely to become borderline hypertensive (overweight OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.08-9.55; obesity OR: 4.05, 95% CI: 1.68-9.75), and obese individuals were more likely to become hypertensive (obesity OR: 4.84, 95% CI: 1.57-14.95). High-risk WC and %BF values were associated with hypertension development (OR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.26-9.19; OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.08-5.75, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found a higher incidence of hypertension in children and adolescents as compared with previous studies. Individuals with higher values of BMI, WC and %BF at baseline were more likely to develop hypertension, suggesting the importance of adiposity in the development of hypertension even in such a young population.

FUNDAMENTO: O aumento de hipertensão em crianças e adolescentes tem atraído a atenção da comunidade científica, especialmente por sua associação com a epidemia da obesidade. OBJETIVOS: Descrever a incidência de hipertensão e sua relação com o perfil cardiometabólico e genético em crianças e adolescentes de uma cidade do sul do Brasil em um período de três anos. MÉTODOS: Este estudo longitudinal acompanhou 469 crianças e adolescentes com idade entre 7 e 17 anos (43,1% do sexo masculino), avaliados em dois momentos. Avaliamos pressão arterial sistólica (PAS), pressão arterial diastólica (PAD), circunferência da cintura (CC), índice de massa corporal (IMC), porcentagem de gordura corporal (%GC), perfil lipídico, glicemia, aptidão cardiorrespiratória (APCR), e polimorfismo rs9939609 (gene FTO ) ( fat mass and obesity - associated gene ). A incidência cumulativa da hipertensão foi calculada, e realizada regressão logística multinominal. A diferença estatística foi estabelecida em p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Após três anos, a incidência de hipertensão foi de 11,5%. Indivíduos com sobrepeso e indivíduos obesos apresentaram maior probabilidade de se tornarem indivíduos classificados como borderline para hipertensão (sobrepeso OR: 3,22; IC95%: 1,08-9,55; obesidade OR: 4,05; IC95%: 1,68-9,75), e indivíduos obesos apresentaram maior probabilidade de se tornarem hipertensos (obesidade OR: 4,84; IC95%: 1,57-14,95). Valores de CC e de %GC considerados de alto risco foram associados com o desenvolvimento de hipertensão (OR: 3,41; IC95%: 126-9,19; OR: 2,49, IC95%: 1,08-5,75, respectivamente). CONCLUSÃO: Encontramos uma incidência de hipertensão em crianças e adolescentes mais alta em comparação a estudos anteriores. Indivíduos com valores mais altos de IMC, CC e %GC no baseline apresentaram maior probabilidade de desenvolverem hipertensão, sugerindo a importância da adiposidade no desenvolvimento de hipertensão, mesmo em uma população tão jovem.

Incidência de Hipertensão Arterial está Associada com Adiposidade em Crianças e Adolescentes / Incidence of Arterial Hypertension is Associated with Adiposity in Children and Adolescents

Resumo Fundamento O aumento de hipertensão em crianças e adolescentes tem atraído a atenção da comunidade científica, especialmente por sua associação com a epidemia da obesidade. Objetivos Descrever a incidência de hipertensão e sua relação com o perfil cardiometabólico e genético em crianças e adolescentes de uma cidade do sul do Brasil em um período de três anos. Métodos Este estudo longitudinal acompanhou 469 crianças e adolescentes com idade entre 7 e 17 anos (43,1% do sexo masculino), avaliados em dois momentos. Avaliamos pressão arterial sistólica (PAS), pressão arterial diastólica (PAD), circunferência da cintura (CC), índice de massa corporal (IMC), porcentagem de gordura corporal (%GC), perfil lipídico, glicemia, aptidão cardiorrespiratória (APCR), e polimorfismo rs9939609 (gene FTO ) ( fat mass and obesity - associated gene ). A incidência cumulativa da hipertensão foi calculada, e realizada regressão logística multinominal. A diferença estatística foi estabelecida em p<0,05. Resultados Após três anos, a incidência de hipertensão foi de 11,5%. Indivíduos com sobrepeso e indivíduos obesos apresentaram maior probabilidade de se tornarem indivíduos classificados como borderline para hipertensão (sobrepeso OR: 3,22; IC95%: 1,08-9,55; obesidade OR: 4,05; IC95%: 1,68-9,75), e indivíduos obesos apresentaram maior probabilidade de se tornarem hipertensos (obesidade OR: 4,84; IC95%: 1,57-14,95). Valores de CC e de %GC considerados de alto risco foram associados com o desenvolvimento de hipertensão (OR: 3,41; IC95%: 126-9,19; OR: 2,49, IC95%: 1,08-5,75, respectivamente). Conclusão Encontramos uma incidência de hipertensão em crianças e adolescentes mais alta em comparação a estudos anteriores. Indivíduos com valores mais altos de IMC, CC e %GC no baseline apresentaram maior probabilidade de desenvolverem hipertensão, sugerindo a importância da adiposidade no desenvolvimento de hipertensão, mesmo em uma população tão jovem.

Abstract Background The increase of hypertension in children and adolescents has attracted the attention of the scientific community largely due to its association with the obesity epidemic. Objectives To describe the incidence of hypertension and its relationship with the cardiometabolic and genetic profile in children and adolescents from a city in southern Brazil in a three-year period. Methods This longitudinal study followed 469 children and adolescents, aged 7-17 years old (43.1% boys), assessed at two-time points. We evaluated systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), lipid profile, glucose, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and rs9939609 Polymorphism ( FTO ). Cumulative incidence of hypertension was calculated, and multinomial logistic regression was conducted. The statistical significance was established as p < 0.05. Results After three years, the incidence of hypertension was 11.5%. Overweight or obese individuals were more likely to become borderline hypertensive (overweight OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.08-9.55; obesity OR: 4.05, 95% CI: 1.68-9.75), and obese individuals were more likely to become hypertensive (obesity OR: 4.84, 95% CI: 1.57-14.95). High-risk WC and %BF values were associated with hypertension development (OR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.26-9.19; OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.08-5.75, respectively). Conclusions We found a higher incidence of hypertension in children and adolescents as compared with previous studies. Individuals with higher values of BMI, WC and %BF at baseline were more likely to develop hypertension, suggesting the importance of adiposity in the development of hypertension even in such a young population.

Assessing Physical Activity After ACL Injury: Moving Beyond Return to Sport.

CONTEXT: Return to sport is widely utilized by sports medicine researchers and clinicians as a primary outcome of interest for successful recovery when working with young patients who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR). While return-to-sport outcomes are effective at tracking progress post-ACLR, they are limited because they do not necessarily capture physical activity (PA) engagement, which is important to maintain knee joint health and reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Therefore, there is a critical need (1) to describe current PA participation and measurement recommendations; (2) to appraise common PA measurement approaches, including patient-reported outcomes and device-based methodologies; and (3) to provide clinical recommendations for future evaluation. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Reports of patient-reported or device-based PA in patients with ACL injury were acquired and summarized based on a PubMed search (2000 through July 2020). Search terms included physical activity OR activity AND anterior cruciate ligament OR ACL. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 5. RESULTS: We highlight that (1) individuals with ACLR are 2.36 times less likely to meet the US Department of Health and Human Services PA recommendations even when reporting successful return to sport, (2) common patient-reported PA assessments have significant limitations in the data that can be derived, and (3) alternative patient-reported and device-based assessments may provide improved assessment of PA in this patient population. CONCLUSION: Clinicians and researchers have relied on return to sport status or self-reported PA participation via surveys. These approaches are not consistent with current recommendations for PA assessment and do not allow for comparison with contemporary PA recommendations or guidelines. Return to sport, patient-reported outcome measures, and device-based assessment approaches should be used in complementary manners to comprehensively assess PA participation after ACLR. However, appropriate techniques should be used when assessing PA in adult and adolescent populations.

Clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and the continuous cardiometabolic risk score in children from Southern Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to verify the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and its relationship with the continuous cardiometabolic risk score (cMetS). METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 631 children aged 6 to 9 years. Cardiorespiratory fitness, glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, triglycerides, and waist circumference were assessed. The number of children in whom the risk factors were not independently distributed was analyzed. Z-scores were computed for each risk factor to calculate the cMetS. RESULTS: There was a high proportion of children with clustering of risk factors for CVD. The clustering of risk factors was apparent in 11.3% of the children for four or more risk factors, and 21.9% had three or more risk factors. The cMetS showed a linear relationship with the increase in the number of risk factors. A cMetS value higher than 0.91 indicated clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors amongst children. CONCLUSION: The use of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors identified a high proportion of children with the presence of relevant cardiometabolic alterations. A cMetS value higher than 0.91 (relative to an international standard) indicated higher clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors amongst children. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-021-00845-9.

Cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents from southern Brazil: comparison to international reference values.

OBJECTIVES: To compare cardiometabolic risk factors of Brazilian children and adolescents with international reference values. Cardiometabolic risk factors constitute the Metabolic Syndrome, whose evaluation is important to assess pediatric populations' health and potential to experience metabolic disorders. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that included 2,250 randomly selected children and adolescents (55.6% girls), aged 6 to 17. Cardiometabolic parameters (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], systolic and diastolic blood pressures [SBP and DBP], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], TC:HDL-C ratio, triglycerides [TG], glucose and peak oxygen uptake [VO2peak]), and clustered risk scores were compared to international age- and sex-specific reference values. A clustered risk score was calculated by summing the WC, glucose, SBP, TG, and the TC:HDL-C ratio Z-scores divided by five. A second clustered was calculated including VO2peak (inverted) Z-score, but divided by six. RESULTS: The clustered risk score, considering the all ages sample, was better in the Brazilian boys (-0.20 [-0.41;0.01] and -0.18 [-0.37;0.01], including or not VO2peak, respectively) but not significantly, and worse in girls (0.24 [0.05;0.43] and 0.28 [0.11;0.44], including or not VO2peak, respectively) than the international reference. Additionally, Brazilian youth had a statistically better profile in TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TC:HDL-C ratio, and VO2peak (only girls) as well as a worse profile in BMI, WC, SBP, DBP, TG (only girls), and VO2peak (only boys). CONCLUSIONS: The clustered cardiometabolic risk score (including or not VO2peak), considering the all ages sample, was better in the Brazilian boys, but not significantly, and worse in girls compared to the international reference.

Relationship between sleep duration and TV time with cardiometabolic risk in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the association between sleep duration and television time with cardiometabolic risk and the moderating role of age, gender, and skin color/ethnicity in this relationship among adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 1411 adolescents (800 girls) aged 10 to 17 years. Television time, sleep duration, age, gender, and skin color/ethnicity were obtained by self-reported questionnaire. Cardiometabolic risk was evaluated using the continuous metabolic risk score, by the sum of the standard z-score values for each risk factor: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, cardiorespiratory fitness, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. Generalized linear regression models were used. RESULTS: There was an association between television time and cardiometabolic risk (ß, 0.002; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.003). Short sleep duration (ß, 0.422; 95% CI, 0.012; 0.833) was positively associated with cardiometabolic risk. Additionally, age moderated the relationship between television time and cardiometabolic risk (ß, - 0.009; 95% CI, - 0.002; - 0.001), suggesting that this relationship was stronger at ages 11 and 13 years (ß, 0.004; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.006) compared to 13 to 15 years (ß, 0.002; 95% CI, 0.001; 0.004). No association was found in older adolescents (ß, 0.001; 95% CI, - 0.002; 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Television time and sleep duration are associated with cardiometabolic risk; adolescents with short sleep have higher cardiometabolic risk. In addition, age plays a moderating role in the relationship between TV time and cardiometabolic risk, indicating that in younger adolescents the relationship is stronger compared to older ones.

Active Learning Norwegian Preschool(er)s (ACTNOW) - Design of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Staff Professional Development to Promote Physical Activity, Motor Skills, and Cognition in Preschoolers.

INTRODUCTION: There is a dearth of high-quality evidence on effective, sustainable, and scalable interventions to increase physical activity (PA) and concomitant outcomes in preschoolers. Specifically, there is a need to better understand how the preschool context can be used to increase various types of physically active play to promote holistic child development. The implementation of such interventions requires highly competent preschool staffs, however, the competence in promoting PA is often low. The main aim of the ACTNOW study is therefore to investigate the effects of professional development for preschool staffs on child PA and developmental outcomes. METHODS: The study will be conducted in Norway 2019-2022 and is designed as a two-arm (intervention, control) cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 7- and 18-months follow-ups. We aim to recruit 60 preschools and 1,200 3- to 5-years-old children to provide sufficient power to detect effect sizes (ESs) between 0.20 and 0.30. The intervention is nested within two levels: the preschool and the child. Central to the ACTNOW intervention are opportunities for children to engage in a variety of "enriched," meaningful, and enjoyable physically active play that supports the development of the whole child. To this end, the main intervention is a 7-month professional development/education module for preschool staff, aimed to provide them with the necessary capacity to deliver four core PA components to the children (moderate-to-vigorous PA, motor-challenging PA, cognitively engaging play, and physically active learning). We will include a range of child-level outcomes, including PA, physical fitness, adiposity, motor skills, socioemotional health, self-regulation, executive function, and learning. At the preschool level, we will describe implementation and adaptation processes using quantitative and qualitative data. DISCUSSION: Professional development of staff and a whole-child approach that integrates PA with cognitively engaging play and learning activities in the preschool setting may provide a feasible vehicle to enhance both physical and cognitive development in young children. ACTNOW is designed to test this hypothesis to provide a sustainable way to build human capital and provide an early solution to lifelong public health and developmental challenges. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04048967.

Motor competence and characteristics within the preschool environment.

OBJECTIVES: Environmental characteristics within preschools that influence children's motor competence are largely unknown. The purpose of the present study was to examine the contribution of various preschool environmental characteristics to children's locomotor, object control, and total gross motor scores. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study of 3-5 year-old children (n=229) from 22 preschools in South Carolina. METHODS: The Children's Activity and Movement in Preschool Study (CHAMPS) Motor Skills Protocol assessed MC. Preschool directors provided information regarding policies and practices. The research team measured playgrounds and classrooms, and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised assessed preschool quality. Time spent in open space and electronic media use were also assessed using direct observation. The aforementioned variables predicted children's object control, locomotor, and total gross motor scores. RESULTS: Classroom size/child ratio, teacher education, playground size, electronic media use, and trips to outside organizations emerged as significant predictors of locomotor score and total motor score. The object control model was non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: Preschools may be able to promote motor competence by allowing children more time in open spaces, structured activity experiences, and by expanding existing outdoor playground space whenever possible.

Tracking of Gross Motor Coordination From Childhood Into Adolescence.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze tracking and stability of motor coordination in children from age 6 years to ages 9 and 13 years. METHOD: Data were from the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study. Motor coordination (MC) was measured using the körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) test. The crude performance score on every item was converted into a standardized "score" based on the original German reference study, which was used to generate a total standardized motor coordination (MQ) score. The MQ scores, which represented children's level of gross MC, were classified as low (MQ score < 85), normal (MQ score = 85-115), or high (MQ score>115). Pearson correlation was used to calculate the tracking coefficients of each KTK element and MQ score, and weighted kappa was used to analyze maintenance in MC classification groups. Mixed-effects logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the odds of remaining in the low MC group over time based on body mass index (BMI), weight, and height tertiles. RESULTS: Tracking coefficients among the MQ score and each KTK element at different ages were moderate (r>.35). Children in the highest BMI and weight tertiles had a 5.44 and 5.15 times greater chance to be in the lower MC classification group during the 7-year follow-up, respectively, in comparison with children in their lowest tertiles. CONCLUSION: MC tracked moderately through childhood to early adolescence. Because heavier children had a greater chance to be in the lower MC group at older ages, intervention may be useful at earlier ages for those with lower MC and disadvantageous weight status.

Process evaluation for a school-based physical activity intervention for 6th- and 7th-grade boys: reach, dose, and fidelity.

The purpose was to evaluate the reach, dose, and fidelity of Guys Only Activity for Life (G.O.A.L.), a 7-week pilot intervention conducted from February to March 2011 to increase 6th and 7th grade boys' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). One middle school was randomly assigned to the G.O.A.L. intervention and another from the same urban school district in the Midwestern U.S. to a comparison condition. Thirty boys, ages 10-14 years, participated in each school. The intervention, guided by the Health Promotion Model (HPM) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), consisted of a 90-min after-school physical activity club 4 days/week and one motivational interviewing session with a registered (school) nurse. Data were gathered via attendance records, club observations, heart rate monitors, audio-taping of motivational interviewing sessions, and surveys. On average boys attended the club 2.11 days/week (SD=.86). A trained independent process evaluator reported that the physical activity club instructors provided the boys with the opportunity for a mean of 25.8 min/day of MVPA. Using a four-point Likert scale (1=disagree a lot; 4=agree a lot), the process evaluator perceived that the club was delivered with high fidelity and adherence to the underlying theories (M=3.48; SD=0.39). Sessions with the nurse lasted an average of 13 min, 29 s. All boys attended. Two trained independent coders indicated that the nurse demonstrated at least beginning proficiency for all tasks associated with motivational interviewing, with the exception of using sufficient open- as opposed to closed-ended questions and reflections compared to questions. Fidelity related to session delivery and adherence to the theories was high (M=3.83; SD=0.19). The process evaluation data indicated that strategies are needed to increase attendance and boys' MVPA during the club time.

Sport participation and physical activity in adolescent females across a four-year period.

PURPOSE: To determine the odds of engaging in future moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) in adolescent female sport participants. A secondary purpose was to compare activity levels of three groups of girls, those who played sports at three time points, those who dropped out, and those who did not participate in sports. METHODS: Data were collected at three time points, eighth, ninth, and 12th grades, in 429 adolescent girls across the state of South Carolina. Demographic, sport participation and physical activity (PA) data were collected using surveys. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the association between sport participation and future PA behavior. PA was also compared for three sport participation groups (nonparticipants, dropouts, or three-year participants) using analysis of variance. RESULTS: For MVPA, ninth grade participants were more likely to be active in 12th grade (OR = 1.74 [1.13, 2.67]), and eighth and ninth grade participants more likely to be active in 12th grade than nonparticipants (OR = 1.54 [confidence interval 1.01, 2.35]). For VPA, sport participants had higher odds of being active at all future time points. Three-year participants were significantly more vigorously active than nonparticipants and dropouts at all three time points (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent girls who participate in sports in eighth, ninth, and 12th grades are more likely to be vigorously active in 12th grade. These findings are novel in providing evidence that sport participation contributes to overall vigorous physical activity during late adolescence, when overall physical activity is known to decline precipitously.

The role of peer social network factors and physical activity in adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between peer-related physical activity (PA) social networks and the PA of adolescent girls. METHODS: Cross-sectional, convenience sample of adolescent girls. Mixed-model linear regression analyses to identify significant correlates of self-reported PA while accounting for correlation of girls in the same school. RESULTS: Younger girls were more active than older girls. Most activity-related peer social network items were related to PA levels. More PA with friends was significantly related to self-reported PA in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of PA with friends was an important correlate of PA among the peer network variables for adolescent girls.