A new study shows that increased sedentary time from childhood leads to increased heart enlargement. However, light physical activity may reduce the risk. The study was carried out jointly by the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and the University of Eastern Finland, and the results were published in the prestigious European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Left ventricular hypertrophy refers to an excessive increase in the mass and size of the heart. Adults are known to have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and early death.
The study followed 1,682 children from the University of Bristol's '90s Kids' cohort from ages 11 to 24. At baseline, they spent an average of 6 hours per day in sedentary activity, which increased to 9 hours per day by young adulthood. This increase in sedentary time was associated with increased cardiac hypertrophy, contributing to 40% of the total increase in heart mass within the 7-year growth period from adolescence to young adulthood. Sedentary individuals had increased heart mass, regardless of obesity or elevated blood pressure status.
On the contrary, an average of 3 to 4 hours of light physical activity (LPA) per day during the follow-up period reduced cardiac mass gain by 49%. The higher the LPA, the better the cardiac function.
Participating in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) showed signs of a small 5% increase in heart size, but this is primarily physiological.
Previous studies in the same population have linked excessive sedentary behavior to increased inflammation, high insulin, adiposity, dyslipidemia, and arteriosclerosis. LPA has emerged as an effective approach to reduce the negative effects of childhood sedentary behavior. However, no studies have been conducted worldwide to date to examine whether long-term exposure to LPA from childhood can reverse the increase in heart mass. This is because repeat echocardiographic evaluation of the heart is rare in the majority of healthy young people.
The current study is the world's largest and longest-running study, with repeated follow-up of exercise behavior measured by accelerometers and echocardiography. Participants wore an accelerometer device on their hips for 4 to 7 days at ages 11, 15, and 24, and had echocardiography measures of heart structure and function at ages 17 and 24. Their fasting blood samples also had repeated measurements of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Blood pressure, heart rate, smoking status, socioeconomic status, family history of cardiovascular disease, and fat and lean mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were considered in the analysis.
“There is growing evidence that childhood sedentary behavior is a health threat that needs to be taken seriously.” We need a paradigm shift,” said Andrew Agbaje. Award-winning physician and Associate Professor (PhD) of Clinical Epidemiology and Child Health at the University of Eastern Finland.
“LPA is an effective antidote to sedentary behavior. It's easy to accumulate 3-4 hours of LPA each day. Examples of LPA include playing games outdoors, playing on the playground, walking the dog, and doing parental errands. activities such as walking to the mall, riding a bicycle, going to school, walking in the park, playing in the forest, playing casual basketball, playing soccer, floorball, golf, and playing frisbee. We can encourage children and adolescents to participate in LPA every day to improve their health,” says Agbaje. .
Dr. Agbaje's research group (urFIT-child) is supported by research grants from the Jenny and Antti Vihli Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation Central Fund, the Finnish Cultural Foundation North Savo Regional Fund, the Orion Research Foundation, the Arne Koskelo Foundation, and the Antti and Antti Vihli Foundation. Supported by Taine Soinen Foundation, Paulo Foundation, Jurijo Jánsson Foundation, Paavo Nurmi Foundation, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Ida Montijn Foundation, Eino Lehsenen Foundation, Matti and Vap Maukonen Foundation, Children's Research Foundation, Alfred Kolderin Foundation.
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