TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship between abdominal adiposity, cardiovascular fitness, and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in British adolescents
AU - Lewitt, Moira S.
AU - Baker, Julien S.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank the parents, teachers, and, most important, the children who participated in this study. Professor Non Thomas, Swansea University, who led the original study design and data collection, died before analysis of the data. Professor Kerstin Hall, Karolinksa Institutet, who contributed to the statistical analysis of data, died on March 29, 2017. Professor Thomas and Professor Hall are greatly missed by academic colleagues and friends. Laboratory measurements were performed by the Biochemistry Departments of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, South Wales, UK, and Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Wales, UK. MSL carried out the statistical analyses and drafted the manuscript; JSB conceived the study, helped collect and analyze the data, and helped draft the manuscript. Both authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript, and agree with the order of presentation of the authors. Both authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Background: Puberty is a critical time in the development of overweight and obesity. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between measures of adiposity, cardiovascular fitness, and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in adolescents. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, 129 girls and 95 boys aged 12.9–14.4 years at various stages of puberty were included, along with their mothers (n = 217) and fathers (n = 207). Anthropometric assessments of adiposity were made, along with cardiovascular physical fitness, using the 20-m shuttle run test, and biomarkers associated with cardiovascular risk, including glucose, insulin, triglyceride, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Results: Waist-to-height ratio values were similar in boys and girls and correlated positively with diastolic blood pressure, insulin, triglyceride, fibrinogen, and CRP concentrations, and inversely with cardiovascular fitness scores. Skinfold thickness measurements were higher in girls. High-molecular-weight adiponectin concentrations were lower in boys than girls, particularly in late puberty, and CRP levels were higher. Cardiovascular fitness, maternal body mass index (BMI), and paternal BMI contributed independently to the variance in waist measurements in girls and boys. Gender, triceps skinfold thickness, and weight-to-height ratio, but not parental BMI, contributed independently to the variance in cardiovascular fitness. Conclusion: There is a relationship between measures of adolescent adiposity and parental weight that involves factors other than cardiovascular fitness. Adolescent boys have relatively more abdominal fat than girls and a tendency to have a proinflammatory profile of biomarkers. These observations suggest that family and social environmental interventions are best undertaken earlier in childhood, particularly among boys.
AB - Background: Puberty is a critical time in the development of overweight and obesity. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between measures of adiposity, cardiovascular fitness, and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in adolescents. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, 129 girls and 95 boys aged 12.9–14.4 years at various stages of puberty were included, along with their mothers (n = 217) and fathers (n = 207). Anthropometric assessments of adiposity were made, along with cardiovascular physical fitness, using the 20-m shuttle run test, and biomarkers associated with cardiovascular risk, including glucose, insulin, triglyceride, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Results: Waist-to-height ratio values were similar in boys and girls and correlated positively with diastolic blood pressure, insulin, triglyceride, fibrinogen, and CRP concentrations, and inversely with cardiovascular fitness scores. Skinfold thickness measurements were higher in girls. High-molecular-weight adiponectin concentrations were lower in boys than girls, particularly in late puberty, and CRP levels were higher. Cardiovascular fitness, maternal body mass index (BMI), and paternal BMI contributed independently to the variance in waist measurements in girls and boys. Gender, triceps skinfold thickness, and weight-to-height ratio, but not parental BMI, contributed independently to the variance in cardiovascular fitness. Conclusion: There is a relationship between measures of adolescent adiposity and parental weight that involves factors other than cardiovascular fitness. Adolescent boys have relatively more abdominal fat than girls and a tendency to have a proinflammatory profile of biomarkers. These observations suggest that family and social environmental interventions are best undertaken earlier in childhood, particularly among boys.
KW - Adiposity
KW - Cardiovascular fitness
KW - Cardiovascular risk
KW - Inflammation
KW - Puberty
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85067394227&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jshs.2019.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jshs.2019.02.004
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33308814
AN - SCOPUS:85067394227
SN - 2095-2546
VL - 9
SP - 634
EP - 644
JO - Journal of Sport and Health Science
JF - Journal of Sport and Health Science
IS - 6
ER -
