Background-Physical activity is assumed to reduce excessive fatness in children. This study examined whether the benefits of early childhood moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on fatness are sustained throughout childhood.
Pediatric patients frequently present with illnesses strongly suggesting infection, but without a clearly identified etiology. Our center has recently added a commercially-available plasma metagenomic sequencing assay to its available diagnostic testing. Our experience with the first 100 tests suggests that this technology has good clinical performance with >90% sensitivity.
Objective
To examine the relative importance of sedentarism and modeate-to-vigorous physical activity for adiposity development in children and adolescents.
Study design
277 boys and 277 girls (95% white; two-thirds of parents with college graduation or higher education) from the Iowa Bone Development Cohort Study completed body fat and accelerometry measurement at examinations of ages 8, 11, 13 and/or 15 years (during 2000 to 2009). The main exposure was accelerometry-measured sedentary time, frequency of breaks in sedentary time, and moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity time. The outcome was dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured body fat mass
Results
Adjusted for age, height, physical maturity, and sedentary time, growth models showed that high moderate-to-vigorous physical activity time was associated with low body fat mass in both boys (coefficient β = −0.10 ± 0.02) and girls (β = −0.05 ± 0.01; Ps < 0.01). However, sedentary time and frequency of breaks in sedentary time were not associated with body fat mass.
Conclusions
This study does not support an independent effect of sedentarism on adiposity. The preventive effect of moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity on adiposity in children and adolescents remained strong after adjusting for the effect of sedentarism.
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