Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort

BackgroundEndothelial function by flow-mediated dilatation assesses early markers of atherosclerotic progression. Greater amounts of physical activity and physical fitness in children are associated with cardiovascular health benefits. We aimed to explore factors, influencing endothelial function an...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Birgit Böhm, Hannah Kirchhuebel, Julia Elmenhorst, Jan Müller, Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Pediatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.787550/full
_version_ 1818281485638041600
author Birgit Böhm
Hannah Kirchhuebel
Julia Elmenhorst
Jan Müller
Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
author_facet Birgit Böhm
Hannah Kirchhuebel
Julia Elmenhorst
Jan Müller
Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
author_sort Birgit Böhm
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundEndothelial function by flow-mediated dilatation assesses early markers of atherosclerotic progression. Greater amounts of physical activity and physical fitness in children are associated with cardiovascular health benefits. We aimed to explore factors, influencing endothelial function and arterial compliance in a cohort of healthy school children.MethodsThe 94 participants (41 girls, 53 boys) in the study were young, healthy children from a German school cohort. Anthropometric data, body composition and blood pressure were assessed. Blood was drawn (8 h overnight fast), assessing total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Endothelial function was diagnosed by flow-mediated dilatation with ultrasonography (ALOKA/Hitachi, Prosound alpha 6). Tracking gates were set on the intima in B-mode. The waveform of diameter changes over the cardiac cycle was displayed in real time using the FMD-mode of the eTRACKING system. Changes in arterial diameter at baseline, ischaemia and vasodilatation were measured. A symptom limited pulmonary exercise test on a bicycle ergometer was performed to test cardiorespiratory fitness. Physical activity was assessed using GT3x accelerometers (Actigraph, USA), over 4 days (including 1 week-end day), with a minimum wear-time duration of 10 h.ResultsThe median age was 12.2 years (11.8–12.8). Children were normal weight, blood lipid profiles (cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride) were in normal range. Baseline measurements during the diagnostics of endothelial function revealed higher arterial compliance of the brachial artery in boys. Boys' cardiorespiratory fitness was higher than compared to girls. Boys met the recommendations of 60 min moderate to vigorous activity, whereas girls were significantly less active and did not meet current recommendations. More time spent in sedentary activity was the main predictor for lower arterial compliance (adjusted for age and sex), accounting for 14% of the variance. No significant model revealed, analyzing the influencing factors such as anthropometric data, blood lipids, physical activity and fitness on endothelial function.ConclusionThis is the first study on endothelial function in association to objectively measured physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy school children in Germany. The study highlights the importance of reducing time spent being sedentary to maintain endothelial health.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T00:05:52Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3108594e639a4da199866ec71bfa0f4f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-2360
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T00:05:52Z
publishDate 2022-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Pediatrics
spelling doaj.art-3108594e639a4da199866ec71bfa0f4f2022-12-22T00:06:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602022-02-01910.3389/fped.2021.787550787550Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School CohortBirgit BöhmHannah KirchhuebelJulia ElmenhorstJan MüllerRenate Oberhoffer-FritzBackgroundEndothelial function by flow-mediated dilatation assesses early markers of atherosclerotic progression. Greater amounts of physical activity and physical fitness in children are associated with cardiovascular health benefits. We aimed to explore factors, influencing endothelial function and arterial compliance in a cohort of healthy school children.MethodsThe 94 participants (41 girls, 53 boys) in the study were young, healthy children from a German school cohort. Anthropometric data, body composition and blood pressure were assessed. Blood was drawn (8 h overnight fast), assessing total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein and triglycerides. Endothelial function was diagnosed by flow-mediated dilatation with ultrasonography (ALOKA/Hitachi, Prosound alpha 6). Tracking gates were set on the intima in B-mode. The waveform of diameter changes over the cardiac cycle was displayed in real time using the FMD-mode of the eTRACKING system. Changes in arterial diameter at baseline, ischaemia and vasodilatation were measured. A symptom limited pulmonary exercise test on a bicycle ergometer was performed to test cardiorespiratory fitness. Physical activity was assessed using GT3x accelerometers (Actigraph, USA), over 4 days (including 1 week-end day), with a minimum wear-time duration of 10 h.ResultsThe median age was 12.2 years (11.8–12.8). Children were normal weight, blood lipid profiles (cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride) were in normal range. Baseline measurements during the diagnostics of endothelial function revealed higher arterial compliance of the brachial artery in boys. Boys' cardiorespiratory fitness was higher than compared to girls. Boys met the recommendations of 60 min moderate to vigorous activity, whereas girls were significantly less active and did not meet current recommendations. More time spent in sedentary activity was the main predictor for lower arterial compliance (adjusted for age and sex), accounting for 14% of the variance. No significant model revealed, analyzing the influencing factors such as anthropometric data, blood lipids, physical activity and fitness on endothelial function.ConclusionThis is the first study on endothelial function in association to objectively measured physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy school children in Germany. The study highlights the importance of reducing time spent being sedentary to maintain endothelial health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.787550/fullendothelial (dys) functionarterial compliancephysical activityphysical fitnesschildrensedentariness
spellingShingle Birgit Böhm
Hannah Kirchhuebel
Julia Elmenhorst
Jan Müller
Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
Frontiers in Pediatrics
endothelial (dys) function
arterial compliance
physical activity
physical fitness
children
sedentariness
title Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
title_full Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
title_fullStr Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
title_full_unstemmed Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
title_short Sedentary Behavior in Childhood, Lower Arterial Compliance and Decreased Endothelial Function-Cross Sectional Data From a German School Cohort
title_sort sedentary behavior in childhood lower arterial compliance and decreased endothelial function cross sectional data from a german school cohort
topic endothelial (dys) function
arterial compliance
physical activity
physical fitness
children
sedentariness
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.787550/full
work_keys_str_mv AT birgitbohm sedentarybehaviorinchildhoodlowerarterialcomplianceanddecreasedendothelialfunctioncrosssectionaldatafromagermanschoolcohort
AT hannahkirchhuebel sedentarybehaviorinchildhoodlowerarterialcomplianceanddecreasedendothelialfunctioncrosssectionaldatafromagermanschoolcohort
AT juliaelmenhorst sedentarybehaviorinchildhoodlowerarterialcomplianceanddecreasedendothelialfunctioncrosssectionaldatafromagermanschoolcohort
AT janmuller sedentarybehaviorinchildhoodlowerarterialcomplianceanddecreasedendothelialfunctioncrosssectionaldatafromagermanschoolcohort
AT renateoberhofferfritz sedentarybehaviorinchildhoodlowerarterialcomplianceanddecreasedendothelialfunctioncrosssectionaldatafromagermanschoolcohort