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Objectively measured physical activity is independently associated with insulin resistance in children after adjusting for epidemiological estimates of body composition
Author(s) -
Arngrímsson Sigurbjörn Árni,
Sveinsson Torarinn,
Gunnarsdóttir Ingibjörg,
Pálsson Gestur I,
Thorsdottir Inga,
Jóhannsson Erlingur
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a167-d
Subject(s) - insulin resistance , waist , medicine , insulin , body mass index , obesity , endocrinology , anthropometry , composition (language) , population , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health
The relationship between physical activity (PA), body composition, and insulin resistance in children and adolescents was determined in a population based sample (n = 152) of 9 (34 boys, 42 girls) and 15 (43 boys, 33 girls) year‐olds from 18 randomly selected schools in Iceland. Body composition was assessed via body mass index (BMI), waist circumference adjusted for height (Waist adj ), and sum of 4 skinfolds (SKF). PA (counts/day) was measured with accelerometers and fasting insulin (index of insulin resistance) was assessed via ECLIA. Sexual maturity was determined by self‐reported Tanner staging. Fasting insulin was related to all body composition variables (r = 0.41–0.52, p < 0.01) and PA (r = −0.19, p = 0.02) after adjusting for age, Tanner stage, and gender with SKF being the best predictor of insulin resistance. Statistical control for PA did not affect the relations between body composition and fasting insulin (r = 0.41–0.50, p < 0.01). Similarly, PA remained significantly related to fasting insulin after adjusting for BMI (r = −0.18, p = 0.03) and Waist adj (r = −0.16, p = 0.05) but not SKF (r = −0.08, p = 0.33). PA is an independent predictor of insulin resistance in children and adolescents after adjusting for commonly used epidemiological indices of body composition; however, better measures of obesity may abolish this relationship.