Tracking of aerobic fitness from adolescence to mid-adulthood

Tracking of Cardiorespiratory Fitness from Childhood to Mid-adulthood

High cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adulthood is important for survival from major chronic diseases and preserving good health. We examined how childhood CRF tracks, or persists, into adulthood. Among a cohort of 748 school children followed over 34 years, we found child CRF correlated with young- (r = 0.30) and mid-adulthood (r = 0.16) CRF.

The impact of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical workload on disability pension-a cohort study of Swedish men

OBJECTIVE

Understanding the impact of physical capacity in combination with high physical workload could be beneficial for the prevention of health-related exits from work. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the separate and combined effects of low cardiorespiratory fitness and high physical workload on disability pension (DP) due to any cause, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

METHODS

A total of 279 353 men born between 1951 and 1961 were followed regarding DP between 2006 and 2020, ages 45-64. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed during military conscription, using an ergometer bicycle test. Physical workload was based on a job-exposure matrix (JEM) linked to occupational title in 2005. Cox regression models estimated separate and combined associations with DP.

RESULTS

Low cardiorespiratory fitness and high physical workload were associated with increased risk of DP. For all cause DP, the fully adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval for those with low cardiorespiratory fitness was 1.38 (1.32-1.46) and for those with high physical workload 1.48 (1.39-1.57). For all cause and MSD DP, but not for CVD DP, the combination of low cardiorespiratory fitness and high physical workload resulted in higher risks than when adding the effect of the single exposures.

CONCLUSION

Both low cardiorespiratory fitness in youth and later exposure to high physical workload were associated with an increased risk of DP, where workers with the combination of both low cardiorespiratory fitness and a high physical workload had the highest risks (all-cause and MSD DP).

Temporal trends in physical fitness among Chinese children and adolescents from 2000 to 2019 and analysis of social-ecological factors

This study aimed to estimate temporal trends in physical fitness (PF) by regions, age groups and nutritional status among Chinese children and adolescents and to longitudinally examine PF determinants based on social-ecological model. Participants (n = 68,265) aged 7-18 were from five successive national surveys (2000 to 2019). Six tested items of PF were calculated as PF indicator (PFI), which was used to divide participants into two categories: low vs. moderate/high. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare difference and change trend of PFI. Linear regression evaluated relationship between PFI and body mass index (BMI), and logistic regression assessed association between PFI and factors of behaviours and lifestyles on individual-, family- and school-level based on the social-ecological model. PFI declined sharply from 2000 to 2010, increased slightly from 2010 to 2014 and then edged down in 2019. Students with moderate BMI and students in urban areas tended to have higher PFI, and larger increase of PFI was found in students aged 7-9 and 13-15 after 2010. Several determinants on individual-, family- and school-level related to PFI. Efforts to develop PF mainly include increasing PA and reducing sedentary behaviours by facilitating home-school collaboration and emphasizing age-, region- and BMI-specific actions.

Tracking of physical fitness levels from childhood and adolescence to adulthood: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prospective and large studies indicate that high physical fitness levels during young are beneficial for health during adulthood. The aim of the study was to investigate the tracking of physical fitness components from childhood and/or adolescence to adulthood.

METHODS

Two authors systematically searched MEDLINE and Web of Science electronic databases for relevant articles. Studies with apparently healthy youth aged 6-18 years who track their physical fitness to adulthood were included. Our study carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Correlation coefficients (r) were used as effect size. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled effect size. Correlation coefficients were interpreted as follows: <0.30 low stability, 0.30 to 0.60 moderate stability, and >0.60 high stability. Risk of bias of each study was determined by The Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Twenty-one prospective studies were included in the meta-analysis (n=6,197 participants at follow-up, 47.4% women). The mean length of follow-up was 20.8 years. Overall, cardiorespiratory fitness (r=0.38; 95% CI: 0.29-0.48; I²=92.7%), muscular strength (r=0.51; 95% CI: 0.43-0.59; I²=87.9%), and muscular endurance (r=0.50; 95% CI: 0.36-0.86; I²=94.5%) show moderate tracking from childhood and/or adolescence to adulthood, independent of test used and length of follow-up. This moderate tracking was slightly stronger in women than in men and from adolescence compared to childhood. Trunk flexibility component, assessed with the sit and reach test, exhibits high stability (r=0.69; 95% CI: 0.58-0.81; I²=92.9%). Interestingly, meta-regression analysis shows positive association between correlation coefficient for flexibility and the length of follow-up (β =0.017; 95% CI: 0.012-0.021).

DISCUSSION

Although the current study found inconsistency between results, the findings suggest that acquiring high physical fitness levels should be targeted already from childhood and adolescence given that low levels of fitness in adulthood are related with several chronic diseases and mortality.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registration number CRD42021279143.

Pubertal Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Relation to Late Adolescent Body Fatness in Boys: A 6-Year Follow-Up Study

There is a lack of studies investigating whether objectively measured physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in puberty is associated with healthier body composition in late adolescence. The study sample included 71 boys, who were measured at puberty (mean age of 12.1 years) and again at late adolescence (mean age of 18.1 years). Physical activity was measured by accelerometry, and total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and sedentary time (SED) were calculated, while CRF was assessed by a peak oxygen consumption test. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and body fat percentage (%BF), fat mass index (FMI), trunk fat mass index (TFMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) were calculated. Body mass index (BMI) and SED time increased, while MVPA, total PA, and CRF decreased from puberty to late adolescence. A relatively high degree of tracking for BMI and CRF, and a low tracking for PA from puberty to late adolescence was observed. Only the CRF value at puberty negatively predicted adolescent BF% (β = -0.221; p = 0.015), FMI (β = -0.212; p = 0.006), and TFMI (β = -0.189; p = 0.015) values. Adolescents whose CRF was above the median at puberty had lower BMI, BF%, FMI, and TFMI in comparison to those whose CRF was below the median at puberty. In conclusion, measured CRF and PA values decreased from puberty to late adolescence. Pubertal CRF predicted body fatness indices six years later in healthy adolescents.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Youth: An Important Marker of Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) refers to the capacity of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscle mitochondria for energy production needed during physical activity. CRF is an important marker of physical and mental health and academic achievement in youth. However, only 40% of US youth are currently believed to have healthy CRF. In this statement, we review the physiological principles that determine CRF, the tools that are available to assess CRF, the modifiable and nonmodifiable factors influencing CRF, the association of CRF with markers of health in otherwise healthy youth, and the temporal trends in CRF both in the United States and internationally. Development of a cost-effective CRF measurement process that could readily be incorporated into office visits and in field settings to screen all youth periodically could help identify those at increased risk.

[Tracking of physical fitness during chilhood: Longitudinal findings from the Diagnoform program]

BACKGROUND

A high level of physical fitness is associated with cardiovascular health in adolescents. We describe change in physical fitness levels assessed at two time points over 3 years.

METHODS

The study presents a longitudinal design, with the first phase data collection at 8 years and the second phase carried out at 11 years. A total of 516 children (254 boys) aged to 7.7±0.4 years (in 2010) and 10.9±0.4 years (in 2010) and 10.9 ± 0.4 years (in 2013) participated to the study. Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, speed, and agility were assessed in this study. For each physical fitness test, determination of the situation (in terms of percentiles) of each child in 2010 and then in 2013 compared to national standards. The 2010 and 2013 percentiles are then compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

RESULTS

Muscular strength, agility and cardiorespiratory fitness decrease in both sex (p<0.01). A significant decrease was also found for all physical fitness components in normal weight children (p<0.05). For normal weight children in 2010 who became overweight or obese in 2013, there was a significant decrease in scores of cardiorespiratory fitness and agility tests (p<0.05). For overweight children in 2010 becoming from to normal weight status in 2013, only the agility test decreased significantly (p<0.05). Children being overweight or obese in 2010 and remaining in 2013, had a significant decrease in their physical fitness levels (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that the physical fitness of French youth decrease between childhood and early adolescence. Developing and introducing a health promotion curriculum in the French schools is suggested to improve health and physical fitness.

Change and Stability in Sibling Physical Fitness: The Portuguese Sibling Study

PURPOSE

This study aims to 1) describe mean changes in muscular and motor fitness components in sibships over 2 yr, 2) analyze individual tracking of fitness within sibships, 3) investigate sibling resemblance in fitness over time, and 4) examine the joint influence of biological, behavioral, and familial characteristics on fitness.

METHODS

The sample comprises 166 Portuguese biological sibling pairs (brother-brother, sister-sister, brother-sister) age 9-17 yr assessed at baseline and 2 yr later. Physical fitness components were measured with standardized tests. Percentage body fat and biological maturation were assessed, and physical activity, diet, screen time, and familial characteristics were obtained by questionnaires. Multilevel models were used to analyze the clustered longitudinal data.

RESULTS

Crude results showed that, on average, all sib-types increased their muscular and motor fitness components from baseline to follow-up (except sister-sister pairs in standing long jump and shuttle run). When adjusted for covariates, the mean changes were no longer significant. Individual tracking was moderate to high for the muscular component but low to moderate for the motor component. Consistency in sibling resemblance was higher in sister-sister pairs than in brother-brother and brother-sister pairs. More mature sibs were fitter in both components, whereas siblings with higher body fat percentage were less fit. Screen time, physical activity, and parental occupation were not associated with fitness components.

CONCLUSIONS

Biological characteristics were more strongly associated with fitness components than individual behaviors and familial characteristics. Furthermore, the muscular component tracked better than the motor component. Sister-sister pairs had greater resemblance in fitness over time compared with brother-brother or sister-brother pairs.

Longitudinal changes in physical capacity from adolescence to middle age in men and women

The aim was to investigate how physical capacity changes from adolescence through early adulthood to middle age with focus on early aging. The aim was also to study if physical capacity in middle age could be predicted by factors in adolescence or early adulthood. A cohort of men and women in Sweden (SPAF-1958, n = 425) have been followed for 36 years, at 16, 34, and 52 years of age. The study includes, among other variables, objective measures of physical capacity. At age 52, 50% of the original cohort participated in exercise testing. Physical capacity increased from 16 to 34 years. From 34 to 52 years, physical capacity decreased in both genders by 15-20% in all but one test. Physical capacity at 16 and 34 years of age were better predictors of physical capacity at age 52 than body dimensions, school grades and life style factors. In conclusion, present data confirm earlier cross-sectional studies regarding the decrease in aerobic capacity and muscular strength during the early ageing period in both genders. The study has also generated novel data that show a smaller decline in muscular endurance than previously reported. Finally, physical capacity is fairly stable from adolescence to middle age.

Adolescent Trajectories of Aerobic Fitness and Adiposity as Markers of Cardiometabolic Risk in Adulthood

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate whether adolescent growth trajectories of aerobic fitness and adiposity were associated with mid-adulthood cardiometabolic risk (CMR).

METHODS

Participants were drawn from the Saskatchewan Growth and Development Study (1963-1973). Adolescent growth trajectories for maximal aerobic capacity (absolute VO₂ (AbsVO₂)), skinfolds (SF), representing total body (Sum6SF) and central adiposity (TrunkSF), and body mass index (BMI) were determined from 7 to 17 years of age. In mid-adulthood (40 to 50 years of age), 61 individuals (23 females) returned for follow-ups. A CMR score was calculated to group participants as displaying either high or a low CMR. Multilevel hierarchical models were constructed, comparing the adolescent growth trajectories of AbsVO_2, Sum6SF, TrunkSF, and BMI between CMR groupings.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the adolescent development of AbsVO_2, Sum6SF, TrunkSF, and BMI between adult CMR groupings (p > 0.05). Individuals with high CMR accrued 62% greater adjusted total body fat percentage from adolescence to adulthood (p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Growth trajectories of adolescent aerobic fitness and adiposity do not appear to be associated with mid-adulthood CMR. Individuals should be encouraged to participate in behaviours that promote healthy aerobic fitness and adiposity levels throughout life to reduce lifelong CMR.