Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) provides a measure of the body’s capacity to deliver and utilize oxygen for energy transfer to support muscle activity during physical activity and exercise ( 4 ). The CRF of children and youth has long been recognized as important to measure and monitor. At the turn
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The 20-m Shuttle Run: Assessment and Interpretation of Data in Relation to Youth Aerobic Fitness and Health
Grant R. Tomkinson, Justin J. Lang, Joel Blanchard, Luc A. Léger, and Mark S. Tremblay
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, But Not Central Obesity or C-Reactive Protein, Is Related to Liver Function in Obese Children
Clarice Martins, Ismael Freitas Jr., Andréia Pizarro, Luísa Aires, Gustavo Silva, Maria Paula Santos, and Jorge Mota
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most frequent complications associated with excess adiposity. Its pathogenesis is complex and there are multiple factors that may contribute to it. AIM: To analyze whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), waist circumference (WC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in children with obesity. METHODS: 79 overweight/obese children of both genders, 11–13 year-olds, with abnormal serum ALT from Porto public schools comprised the sample. Measurements included CRF (20-m Shuttle Run Test), WC (NHANES protocol), CRP and ALT (Cholestech LDX analyzer). Logistic regression adjusted for gender, maturation, and weight with ALT levels as dependent variable (risk vs. non risk), and WC (risk vs. non risk), CRP (risk vs. non risk), and CRF (fit vs. unfit) as independent variables. Level of significance was set at 95%. RESULTS: Logistic regression showed that obese fit children were less likely to have abnormal ALT values (OR=.031) CONCLUSION: In obese children, higher cardiovascular fitness appears to reduce the chance of decreased liver function.
Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children and Adolescents With Physical Activity, Active Commuting to School, and Screen Time
Luisa Aires, Michael Pratt, Felipe Lobelo, Rute Marina Santos, Maria Paula Santos, and Jorge Mota
Background:
The objective of this study was to analyze associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with physical activity, time spent watching television and using computer, mode of commuting to school (CS), and adiposity, by gender.
Methods:
Participants were 1708 students (53.8% girls), aged 11 to 19 years. CRF was evaluated with a 20-meter shuttle-run test using VO2max by previously published equation. Maturation stages determined by Tanner’s criteria, body mass index, and skinfolds were measured, and a questionnaire used to assess socioeconomic status, PA, television and computer time, and mode of CS. We conducted a regression analysis using CRF as the dependent variable.
Results:
CRF was independent and positively associated with physical activity [β = 0.338 (95% CI = 0.119; 0.188); P < .001] and with maturation [β = −0.876 (95% CI = 0.666; 1.087); P < .001]; independent and negatively associated with television time [β = −0.003 (95% CI = −0.005; −0.002); P < .001] and adiposity [β = −0.068 (95% CI = −0.076; −0.060); P < .001]. CRF was positively associated with CS [β = 0.337; (95% CI = 0.014; 0.741); P = .014]. No associations were found for computer time.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that increasing overall physical activity levels through interventions in different domains such as active CS, reducing sedentary activities, such as television time, might be effective strategies for improving CRF in youth.
Determinants of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in a Population Sample of Girls and Boys Aged 6 to 8 Years
Niina Lintu, Kai Savonen, Anna Viitasalo, Tuomo Tompuri, Jussi Paananen, Mika P. Tarvainen, and Timo Lakka
Background:
There are few studies on determinants of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among girls and boys separately in population samples of children.
Methods:
We therefore investigated the determinants of CRF, assessed by maximal workload per height using allometric scaling, in a population sample of 162 girls and 177 boys aged 6 to 8 years. We used automated bootstrap feature selection and linear regression models.
Results:
The strongest determinants of CRF among girls were maximal heart rate (HR; standardized regression coefficient [β] = 0.31, P < .001), unsupervised physical activity (β = 0.29, P < .001), lean body mass (β = 0.23, P = .001), and errors in static balance test (β = –0.16, P = .02), accounting altogether for 25.7% of variation in CRF. In boys, unsupervised physical activity (β = 0.24, P < .001), resting HR (β = –0.25, P < .001), hand grip strength (β = 0.21, P = .001), errors in static balance test (β = –0.16, P = .01), organized football (β = 0.16, P = .01), and unsupervised trampoline jumping (β = 0.14, P = .04) were the strongest determinants of CRF, accounting altogether for 29.7% of variation in CRF.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that unsupervised physical activity is sufficient in improving CRF in both sexes. Furthermore, larger muscle mass and better balance are associated with higher CRF that has to be taken into account when assessing CRF using maximal cycle ergometer exercise test among children.
The Association Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children is Mediated by Abdominal Adiposity: The HAPPY Study
Daniel P. Bailey, Louise A. Savory, Sarah J. Denton, and Catherine J. Kerr
Background:
It is unclear whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is independently linked to cardiometabolic risk in children. This study investigated a) the association between CRF level and presence of cardiometabolic risk disorders using health-related cut points, and b) whether these associations were mediated by abdominal adiposity in children.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional design study. Anthropometry, biochemical parameters and CRF were assessed in 147 schoolchildren (75 girls) aged 10 to 14 years. CRF was determined using a maximal cycle ergometer test. Children were classified as ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’ according to published thresholds. Logistic regression was used to investigate the odds of having individual and clustered cardiometabolic risk factors according to CRF level and whether abdominal adiposity mediated these associations.
Results:
Children classified as unfit had increased odds of presenting individual and clustered cardiometabolic risk factors (P < .05), but these associations no longer remained after adjusting for abdominal adiposity (P > .05).
Conclusions:
This study suggests that the association between CRF and cardiometabolic risk is mediated by abdominal adiposity in 10- to 14-year-old children and that abdominal adiposity may be a more important determinant of adverse cardiometabolic health in this age group.
Does Higher Self-Reported Cardiorespiratory Fitness Reduce the Odds of Hospitalization From COVID-19?
Jason P. Brandenburg, Iris A. Lesser, Cynthia J. Thomson, and Luisa V. Giles
-Foncea H , Francaux M , Deldicque L , Hawley JA . Does high cardiorespiratory fitness confer some protection against proinflammatory responses after infection by SARS-CoV-2? Obesity . 2020 ; 28 ( 8 ): 1378 – 1381 . PubMed ID: 32324968 doi:10.1002/oby.22849 10.1002/oby.22849 32324968 17. Sallis
The Effect of Lifestyle Intervention on Body Composition, Glycemic Control, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Liza Haqq, James McFarlane, Gudrun Dieberg, and Neil Smart
Introduction:
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 18–22% women of reproductive age. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify expected benefits of lifestyle (exercise and dietary) interventions on various clinical outcomes in PCOS.
Methods:
Potential studies were identified by conducting systematic search of PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane controlled trials registry (1966 to April 2013) using key concepts of PCOS, exercise, dietary and lifestyle interventions.
Results:
Significant improvements were seen in women who received lifestyle intervention vs. usual care, in body composition parameters of body mass index, mean difference (MD) = −0.12 kg.m−2 (95% CI [−0.22, −0.03], p = .009), body mass MD = −3.42 kg (95% CI [−4.86, −1.99], p < .00001), waist circumference MD = −1.64 cm (95% CI [−2.09, −1.19], p < .00001), waist−hip ratio MD = −0.03 (95% CI [−0.05, −0.01], p = .0002), and body fat % MD = −1.71% (95% CI [−3.10, −0.32], p = .02). Insulin did not improve, MD = −1.21 pmol/L (95% CI [−3.06, −0.63], p = .20). Lipid profile did not improve, total cholesterol MD = −0.02 mmol/L (95% CI [−0.25, 0.21], p = .89). C-reactive protein was significantly lower, MD = −0.47 mmol/L (95% CI [−0.80, −0.15], p = .004). Significant improvements were also observed in cardiorespiratory fitness with exercise alone reducing resting heart rate, MD = −1.89 beats.min−1 (95% CI [−2.90, −0.88], p = .0002), and peak VO2, MD = 4.86 ml.kg−1.min−1 (95% CI [2.83, 6.88], p < .00001). Lifestyle therapy also improved, peak VO2 MD = 5.09 ml.kg−1.min−1 (95% CI [3.13, 7.05], p < .00001).
Conclusions:
Our analyses suggest lifestyle intervention is optimal for improving body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in women with PCOS.
Young Men With Poor Cardiorespiratory Fitness Combined With lower Testosterone Have High Levels of Oxidized LDL Lipids—Being Fit Alters This Relationship
Jussi Kosola, Markku Ahotupa, Heikki Kyröläinen, Matti Santtila, and Tommi Vasankari
Purpose:
We hypothesized that lower androgen status together with poor physical fitness associates with atherogenic lipid profile and oxidative stress.
Methods:
Volunteered young men (N = 846, mean age 25.1 ± 4.6 years) were categorized into unfit, average fit, and fit groups according to tertiles of maximal oxygen uptake, series of muscle endurance tests, and maximal upper and lower body strength. Furthermore, concentrations of serum testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) were determined to divide participants into lower and higher testosterone (loTT, hiTT) and free testosterone (loFT, hiFT) subgroups, using medians as cut-off points. The participants were divided into subgroups according to Fitness × Testosterone (Unfit/Average Fit/Fit × Low/High TT/FT), and the concentrations of serum lipids and ox-LDL were measured. Results: The loTT/unfit cardiorespiratory subgroup had 29% higher concentration of ox-LDL compared with the loTT/fit cardiorespiratory subgroup (p = .044). The loTT / unfit cardiorespiratory subgroup had a significantly higher ratio of ox-LDL/HDL-cholesterol compared with the other five TT subgroups (p < .05, in all). While ox-LDL showed a gradual form of decrease from unfit to fit in loTT cardiorespiratory subgroups, no differences were seen in muscular fitness or maximal strength (upper and lower body) subgroups.
Conclusions:
Young men with poor cardiorespiratory fitness together with lower levels of TT have higher concentrations of ox-LDL. Good cardiorespiratory fitness combined with lower androgen levels is not related to atherogenic lipid profile. The combination of poor muscular fitness, or maximal muscle strength, and lower TT levels does not cause atherogenic lipid profile.
Motivational Profiles and their Associations with Achievement Outcomes
Bo Shen, Nate McCaughtry, Jeffrey J. Martin, and Mariane Fahlman
With the belief that theoretical integration in motivation may help us better understand motivational behavior, we designed this study to explore adolescents’ motivational profiles and their associations with knowledge acquisition, leisure-time exercise behaviors, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Middle school students from a large urban inner-city school district (N = 603, ages 12–14) completed questionnaires assessing motivational constructs and leisure-time exercise behavior. Knowledge and cardiorespiratory fitness were also assessed with a knowledge test and the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test, respectively. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we found that students’ motivation in physical education could be explained from a multi-theoretical perspective. The interactive patterns among different motivation constructs were homogeneous overall and associated with in-class effort, knowledge, and leisure-time exercise behavior. These findings suggest that students’ development in physical education may depend upon a collective impact of changes in knowledge, physical activity ability, and sources of motivation.
Comment on: “Association of Vitamin D Supplementation in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscle Strength in Adult Twins: A Randomized Controlled Trial”
Nicholas B. Tiller
(cholecalciferol) for 60 days, or a control group which received no intervention. The pre- to postintervention dependent variables were cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake, V ˙ O 2 max ) and muscle strength (handgrip and scapula dynamometry). This letter will draw attention to serious irregularities
