Sports participation is inversely associated with C‐reactive protein levels in adolescents: ABCD Growth Study

Abstract

Objective To analyze the relationship between sports participation and C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in adolescents and to identify the possible role of mediation developed by trunk fatness (TF). Methods Cross‐sectional design, part of the longitudinal study entitled “Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth” (ABCD Growth Study), Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil. The sample comprised 259 adolescents (14.7 ± 2.1 [182 boys and 77 girls]) stratified according to sex and engagement in sports in agreement with the inclusion criteria: absence of any known diseases; previous engagement in sports for at least 12 months (≥300 minutes weekly); no regular engagement in sports in the previous 12 months (non‐regular sports participation or <300 min/wk); written parental consent and adolescents' assent both signed. Engagement in sports was self‐reported. CRP levels were used to assess the inflammatory status. TF was estimated by a densitometer scanner. Age, biological maturation, HOMA‐IR, and blood pressure were treated as covariates. Results There was no mediation effect of TF in the association of any indicators of sports practice and CRP. However, a direct effect of sports was observed on CRP levels when considering previous months of engagement, frequency, and volume of sports for boys and also previous months of engagement in sports for girls. Conclusion Previous sports participation and the amount of engagement in sports per week (≥300 min/wk) presented an inverse relationship with CRP levels; however, trunk fatness did not mediate this process.

Nutrition Education Program and Physical Activity Improve the Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: Impact on Inflammatory Biomarker Levels in Healthy Adolescents From the DIMENU Longitudinal Study

“…In adolescents, CRP is inversely related to vigorous-intensity levels of PA, showing that exercise may protect against low-grade systemic inflammation in youth ( 48 ). In a recent cross-sectional design, Cayres et al ( 52 ) demonstrated that in adolescents both previous sports participation and regular engagement in PA are inversely related to CRP levels, indicating that frequency and intensity of sports are important factors associated with CRP levels. In line with these observations, we also found that CRP and ESR levels were correlated with several body composition parameters indicative of healthier status, CRP levels were significantly reduced over the study period, while ESR was influenced by either PA or NEP in our adolescents.…”

Structural equation model of the effect of biological maturation on metabolic syndrome risk and C-reactive protein: effect of trunk fat and sports participation

“…Firstly, the reduction in body fat, through the regulation of energy expenditure, may be an important role, as observed in the present study 15 . In addition, sports practice is associated with reductions in inflammatory levels 30 , through the reduction in some cytokines such as IL-6 and adiponectin 31 , which are, in turn, associated with metabolic syndrome risk 32 . Moreover, intensity seems a key point to determine how effectively sports participation can impact metabolic aspects in adolescents, in which sports performed at higher physical demand tend to be more beneficial to different lipid and glycemic components than those performed at lower demand, including HDL-c 33 .…”

Relationship between vigorous physical activity and health care costs among adolescents: ABCD Growth Study

“…More details about the sampling process can be found elsewhere [ 20 , 21 ]. In brief, at baseline, researchers contacted adolescents in eleven school units and sports clubs spread out in the metropolitan region of the city.…”