Associations of physical fitness during childhood with arterial health in adolescence – an 8-year follow-up study

Abstract

Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and premature mortality globally. While the relationship between indicators of physical fitness and arterial health is reasonably well-studied in adults, these associations in children and adolescents remain less understood. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and motor fitness with arterial health from childhood to adolescence. Results Higher mean value of VO_2peak/LM from childhood to adolescence was associated with higher cIMT at 8-year follow-up (β = 0.184, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.019 to 0.350). Better performance in sit-up test at baseline was associated with lower CAVI (β=-0.219, 95% CI=-0.387 to -0.051) and higher mean sit-up performance during 8-year follow-up associated with lower PWV (β=-0.178, 95% CI=-0.353 to -0.003) and CAVI (β=-0.190, 95% CI=-0.365 to -0.016) at 8-year follow-up. Better sit-up performance at 8-year follow-up was associated with lower PWV (β=-0.232, 95% CI=-0.411 to -0.054) and CAVI (β=-0.185, 95% CI=-0.365 to -0.005) and higher CAD (β = 0.165, 95% CI = 0.004 to 0.327) at 8-year follow-up. Most of the associations were explained by BF%. Conclusions Physical fitness had weak if any associations with arterial health in adolescence. BF% explained the associations of higher VO_2peak/LM with higher cIMT and better sit-up performance with lower arterial stiffness in adolescents. Therefore, preventing adiposity should be addressed in public health strategies for CVDs prevention.