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A lack of exercise in childhood may increase the risk of heart disease later in life, according to new research.
The amount of time children spend sitting still may be correlated with increased mass in the left ventricle of the heart, especially in girls. Research published this week At the ESC Congress 2023 of the European Society of Cardiology in Amsterdam.
“An enlarged heart provides an objective indication that the heart may be overworked in response to stressful situations,” said the study’s lead author and principal investigator. said Dr. Andrew Agbaje. Ahfit child A research group at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland.
This data was collected from the Children of the 90s study, one of the world’s largest cohort studies measuring lifestyle. The longitudinal study included 766 children and examined data from ages 11 to 24, according to the study.
During the study period, children wore activity trackers for one week at various ages.
At the age of 11, the children were sitting for about 6 hours a day. After four years of adolescence, it increased to nearly eight hours a day, according to the authors, and nearly nine hours at the end of the study period.
“It is important to note that the increased sedentary time was ‘stolen’ from time spent doing light-intensity physical activity. It went from six hours a day in childhood to three hours a day in adolescence,” Agbaje said in an email.
A new study found that increased sedentary time was associated with increased left ventricular mass in the girls studied. And, a large left ventricular mass is a strong predictor of cardiac events in adulthood.
“Because heart attacks are rare in children, left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac hypertrophy have been used as early signs of heart damage,” he said.
Agbaje added that although the data in this study only show associations for girls, further studies with larger groups may show differences for both boys and girls.
“Most importantly, this study highlights the negative impact sedentary behavior has on our health, especially our heart health,” said medical director of Atria, New York City, and clinical associate of medicine at New York University. Professor Nika Goldberg, Ph.D. Grossman University School of Medicine. Goldberg was not involved in the study.
It’s important to note that the new study has not yet been fully published, only a poster of the study, according to Dr. Andrew Freeman, Director of Cardiovascular Prevention and Health at National Jewish Health in Denver. Stated. Freeman was not involved in the study.
The data also show a link between sedentary time and predictors of heart disease, but it’s hard to say exactly how that will manifest itself, Freeman said.
“I don’t know if we can definitively say there is a fixed threshold for left ventricular mass that directly correlates with a particular health outcome,” he says. “It would be nice if we could follow these kids for another 13 years to see if they develop high blood pressure.
Goldberg added that although the study had a modest sample size and the results are still preliminary, it’s a good reminder to prioritize healthy behaviors in childhood.
The good news is that additional data from these researchers found that light-intensity physical activity could reverse heart enlargement from sitting, Agbaje said. .
“I urge physicians and parents to encourage their children, patients and clients to engage in light-intensity physical activity for at least three to four hours each day to improve their heart health,” he said in an email. added. “An example of such light physical activity is a long walk.”
Children aged 6 to 17 need about one hour of physical activity per day, according to the WHO. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.but 2020 survey We found that less than a quarter of students reached that metric.
When it comes to getting kids moving, focus on activities they enjoy. That’s what matters, says Goldberg.
“Swimming may not be for people who are afraid of deep water, right?” she said. “But walking, biking, jogging, dancing, swimming, these are all great aerobic exercises that provide great health benefits.”
Freeman said it’s important to prioritize health now if you want your children not only to live longer, but also to live well without major health concerns.
“Habits and lifestyles formed early in life have lasting effects,” he says. “If you can find a way to incorporate these habits into your life quickly, you will see great results.”