Muscular fitness and metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in adolescents: Results from LabMed Physical Activity Study

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the associations between muscular fitness and inflammatory biomarkers and to investigate the relationship between muscular fitness and selected clustered inflammatory biomarkers in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional analysis with 529 adolescents (267 girls) aged 12-18 years. Handgrip strength and standing long jump tests assessed MF. Continuous scores of clustered inflammatory biomarkers (sum of Z-scores of C-reactive protein [CRP], C3, C4, fibrinogen, and leptin); metabolic risk factor (MRF) score (sum of Z-scores of SBP, triglycerides, ratio total cholesterol [TC]/HDL, HOMA-IR, and waist circumference [WC]) were computed. Regression analyses showed an inverse association between muscular fitness score (β=-.204; P<.021) and clustered score of inflammatory biomarkers, adjusted for age, sex, pubertal stage, socioeconomic status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), MRF score, and body fat. Analysis of covariance showed that adolescents with an adverse inflammatory profile with low levels of muscular fitness exhibit the poorest MRF score (F =6.461; P<.001), adjusted for age, sex, pubertal stage, socioeconomic status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, CRF, and body fatness. The inflammatory state seems to explain a significant part of the highest MRF score and in adolescents with high inflammatory status and low muscular strength.

Handgrip strength is associated with insulin resistance and glucose metabolism in adolescents: Evidence from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 to 2014

“…The underlying mechanisms for the observed associations of muscular fitness with insulin resistance and glucose metabolism are yet to be well examined. Inflammation, an important factor for insulin resistance, is associated with low muscular fitness . It is also possible that impaired glucose metabolism associated with low muscular fitness is at least partially due to the intrinsic impaired muscle oxidative capacity .…”

Association between Leptin, Adiponectin, and Leptin/Adiponectin Ratio with Clustered Metabolic Risk Factors in Portuguese Adolescents: The LabMed Physical Activity Study

“…Participants' recruitment was conducted at the selected schools, and all pupils belonging to the 7th and 10th grades classes were invited to participate in the study ( n = 1,678). The LabMed Physical Activity Study methodologies have been presented elsewhere [15,20]. From that initial sample, 534 agreed to undergo blood sampling.…”

Low‐grade inflammation and muscular fitness on insulin resistance in adolescents: Results from LabMed Physical Activity Study

“…Nonetheless, we measured several inflammatory biomarkers, which provided us with a more comprehensive assessment of the inflammatory status of our sample, since we did not rely on only a single marker. In addition, a composite continuum score of inflammatory biomarkers is becoming widely recognized in pediatric research …”

“…High-risk group was defined as the first tertile and lowrisk group as the second and third tertiles. 14 According to the MF score, participants were divided into 2 groups: Unfit (first tertile) and Fit groups (second and third tertiles). 13,14 Then, according to the InflaScore groups (High InflaScore and Low InflaScore) and MF group (Unfit and Fit), 4 exclusive groups were created: (1) Low InflaScore/Fit; (2) Low InflaScore/Unfit; (3) High InflaScore/Fit, and (4) High InflaScore/Unfit.…”

“…Muscular fitness (MF) has been recognized as an important component in the pathogenesis and prevention of chronic diseases and is inversely and independently associated with all‐cause mortality . Several studies in adolescents showed that MF is negatively associated with markers of IR and low‐grade inflammation …”