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School‐based study found that physical activity and aerobic fitness predicted increases in total body fat and abdominal fat at a mean age of 9.8 years
Author(s) -
Danielson Anton,
Thorsson Ola,
Karlsson Magnus K.,
Wollmer Per,
Andersen Lars B.,
Dencker Magnus
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14289
Subject(s) - medicine , classification of obesity , abdominal fat , aerobic exercise , body fat percentage , vo2 max , physical fitness , fat mass , body mass index , physical activity , zoology , physiology , physical therapy , body weight , biology , blood pressure , heart rate
Aim We assessed whether baseline measurements of physical activity, aerobic fitness, body fat and abdominal fat were predictors of changes in body fat measurements over a two‐year period. Methods The study comprised of 204 children aged 9.8 ± 0.6 years with a normal body mass distribution, who recruited from four schools in middle‐class areas of Malmö, Sweden, from 2001 to 2004. Peak oxygen uptake and physical activity were measured at baseline. Body fat was measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry at baseline and two years later. Results Physical activity, aerobic fitness and total body fat or abdominal fat were predictors of change in total body fat or abdominal fat over a period of two years. Changes in the percentage of body fat were not related to any of the baseline measurements. Conclusion Our two‐year follow‐up of children with a mean age of 9.8 years at baseline showed that physical activity, aerobic fitness and body fat or abdominal fat predicted changes in total body fat or abdominal fat, but not the percentage of body fat.