Oxygen Uptake and Indicators of Obesity: Meta-Analysis Including 17,604 Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Low aerobic fitness levels are associated with excess body adiposity in adolescents. However, studies that have analyzed this association in adolescents have used different methods and measures to evaluate aerobic fitness, making it difficult to compare the results. Objective: To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies that have analyzed the association between aerobic fitness and anthropometric body adiposity indicators in adolescents aged 10-19 years. Methods: A systematic search was performed in May 2016, updated in March 2017, in the following electronic databases: LILACS (BIREME), Embase, MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. Results: Twenty-three studies were selected. The meta-analysis indicated that as the aerobic fitness levels increased, the BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentage values of the adolescents decreased. Conclusion: There is a negative association between aerobic fitness (evaluated by measuring maximum oxygen uptake in the 20-meter Shuttle Run test) and the body fat percentage, BMI and waist circumference of adolescents and a negative association between aerobic fitness (assessed by measuring the number of laps in the 20-meter Shuttle Run test) and body fat percentage. However, caution is required in the interpretation of data due to the heterogeneity of the studies analyzed. Level of Evidence II; Systematic review of studies with level II of evidence.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity among Children and Adolescents: 3-Year Longitudinal Study in Brazil

“…Biological maturation is a factor that influences the aerobic fitness level of adolescents. This is because VO 2max increases in males throughout the period of puberty to adulthood whereas in girls, VO 2max increases only at the beginning of puberty, remaining unchanged from the end of puberty to adulthood [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Thus, it is important to emphasize that biological maturation was tested as a covariate in this study.…”

“…In adulthood, low levels of aerobic fitness are related to cardiovascular diseases, early death from all causes, diabetes, and stroke [ 3 ]. In childhood and adolescence, adequate levels of aerobic fitness can reduce obesity rates [ 4 ], promote healthy bone development [ 5 ], better academic performance [ 6 ] and mental health [ 7 ], decrease the amount of total and central body fat [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in adulthood [ 13 ].…”