Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world, and although it often begins to show up during adulthood, there is sufficient evidence that the origins lie in childhood and adolescence. Therefore, it is important to intervene and apply preventive measures even from an early age.
Childhood is a key period in the development of behaviors that can persist throughout life, and it is increasingly taken into account that what happens during this stage of life is a true reflection of our future health. The health benefits of physical fitness during childhood and adolescence are well known. Currently, there is a growing interest in analyzing whether good physical condition in children is a predictor of better health in adults.
Previous results have shown that there is an association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and cardiovascular disease risk in children and adolescents (1). However, evidence is limited regarding the association between CRF at an early age and cardiovascular risk factors later on. Therefore, a recent systematic review analyzed the relationship between CRF during childhood and adolescence and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the future (2). The study included 38 articles and 44169 children/adolescents, who were followed for an average of 6 years. It was found that having a good CRF during childhood and adolescence is associated with lower body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat, and lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome years later, which confers a cardioprotective role to the CRF we have as children.
On the other hand, in recent years, interest in muscle strength has grown in the health field as it is also inversely associated with the risk of various pathologies and mortality. However, the implication of muscle strength during childhood and adolescence in future health is again not sufficiently clear. In this case, a recent systematic review with meta-analysis (3) studied the association between strength in children and adolescents and their future health status. The review included publications involving apparently healthy children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years) who had their strength assessed at baseline and after a follow-up period of at least 1 year. Finally, 30 studies were included, comprising a total of 21.686 participants, finding that high muscle strength during childhood and adolescence is associated with lower BMI, skin fold thickness, insulin resistance, triglycerides and risk of cardiovascular disease, and higher bone mineral density during adulthood. Therefore, the protective role that physical condition has in children and adolescents, including strength, for health years later is once again demonstrated.
Likewise, different prospective studies led by Dr. Francisco B. Ortega of the University of Granada have found associations between low levels of physical fitness during adolescence and negative effects on health almost 30 years later (4, 5). Thus, it was observed that adolescents with obesity, low CRF, or a combination of both have a higher risk of early retirement due to a disabling disease (4). In addition, another result to highlight is that having a good CRF during adolescence, regardless of BMI, was associated with a lower risk of early retirement due to disabling disease. That is, adolescents with obesity and good physical fitness had a lower risk of disability in the future than adolescents with normal weight, but with a low physical condition. The study was carried out on more than one million male adolescents (16-19 years) who were followed for an average of 28 years.
Another large cohort study, again involving more than a million adolescents who were followed for an average of 24 years, analyzed muscle strength levels through handgrip and knee extension tests (5). The data obtained show that having a level of muscle strength equal to or greater than the average is associated with a 20-35% lower probability of premature death (before the age of 55), while lower strength was related to a higher risk of death by suicide and cardiovascular disease.
In summary, there is strong evidence that poor physical fitness in childhood and adolescence is a predictor of poorer future health. Therefore, based on the above, it becomes essential to promote lifestyles focused on increasing levels of physical activity and the development of good physical fitness that can help preserve the present and future health of children and adolescents.
REFERENCES:
- Ruiz, J. R., Cavero-Redondo, I., Ortega, F. B., Welk, G. J., Andersen, L. B., & Martinez-Vizcaíno, V. (2016). Cardiorespiratory fitness cut points to avoid cardiovascular disease risk in children and adolescents; what level of fitness should raise a red flag? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, bjsports-2015.
- Mintjens, S., Menting, M. D., Daams, J. G., van Poppel, M. N., Roseboom, T. J., & Gemke, R. J. (2018). Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Childhood and Adolescence Affects Future Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies. Sports Medicine, 1-29.
- García-Hermoso, A., Ramírez-Campillo, R., & Izquierdo, M. (2019). Is Muscular Fitness Associated with Future Health Benefits in Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies. Sports Medicine, 1-16.
- Henriksson, P., Henriksson, H., Tynelius, P., Berglind, D., Löf, M., Lee, I. M.,... & Ortega, F. B. (2019). Fitness and Body Mass Index During Adolescence and Disability Later in Life: A Cohort Study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 170(4), 230-239.
- Ortega, F. B., Silventoinen, K., Tynelius, P., & Rasmussen, F. (2012). Muscular strength in male adolescents and premature death: cohort study of one million participants. BMJ, 345, e7279.
AUTHOR
Javier S. Morales
Teacher and Researcher.
Web: www.fissac.com
