Movement behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in schoolchildren

PLoS One. 2018 Nov 14;13(11):e0207300. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207300. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Growing evidence has accumulated in recent years showing that movement behaviors have important implications for health in children, especially for cardiovascular health, whose risk factors could track from childhood to adulthood. However, these findings are mixed and inconsistent in children. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between different movement behaviors (sedentary behavior, physical activity and sleep duration) and cardiometabolic risk in schoolchildren. The study shows cross-sectional results of baseline measurement from 146 Spanish schoolchildren, aged 8-to-11 years old, participating in the MOVI-2 study. Movement behaviors were determined using accelerometry combined with self-reported sleep time. Cardiometabolic risk was assessed using a validated metabolic syndrome index. Logistic regression analysis showed that higher levels of vigorous physical activity (OR = 0.110, p = 0.004) and sleeping more than 9 hours (OR = 0.269, p = 0.015) could be protective factors against metabolic syndrome risk in children. ANCOVA analysis showed associations between vigorous physical activity and waist circumference (p < 0.001), and sleep time with insulin resistance (p = 0.017) and lipid profile (p = 0.035). No association was observed between light and moderate physical activity, sedentary behavior and metabolic syndrome (index and components). No statistically significant differences were found for blood pressure and any of the movement behaviors. Our data suggest that both the amount of vigorous physical activity accumulated and sleep duration are independently associated with higher cardiometabolic risk in children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Accelerometry
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology*
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Exercise*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Male
  • Metabolic Syndrome / etiology*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Sleep

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Education and Science-Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (PII1I09-0259-9898 and POII10-0208-5325), and Ministry of Health (FIS PI081297). Additional funding was obtained from the Research Network on Preventative Activities and Health Promotion (Ref.- RD06/0018/0038). The founders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.