RT Journal
A1 Hay J, Maximova K, Durksen A, et al
T1 PHysical activity intensity and cardiometabolic risk in youth
JF Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
JO Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
YR 2012
FD November 1
VO 166
IS 11
SP 1022
OP 1029
DO 10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.1028
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.1028
AB Objective 
                  To determine the association between physical activity (PA) intensities and cardiometabolic risk factors in youth.Design 
                  Cross-sectional study using data from the 2008 Healthy Hearts Prospective Cohort Study of Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health in Youth.Setting 
                  Rural and urban communities in Alberta, Canada.Participants 
                  A convenience sample of 605 youth aged 9 to 17 years. Youth were on average aged 12.1 years, 248 were boys (41%), and 157 were overweight or obese (26%).Main Exposure 
                  Actical accelerometer–measured PA intensity.Main Outcomes Measures 
                  The primary outcome was body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) z score. Secondary outcome measures included waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen consumption [[Vdot]O2max]).Results 
                  Body mass index z score, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure decreased and [Vdot]O2max increased in a dose-response manner across tertiles of vigorous PA (adjusted P < .001). No significant differences in cardiometabolic risk factors were seen across tertiles of moderate or light PA in multivariable analyses. Achieving more than 7 minutes of vigorous PA daily was associated with a reduced adjusted odds ratio of overweight status (0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.95) and elevated systolic blood pressure (0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.79). The odds of overweight status and elevated blood pressure decreased with increasing time and intensity of PA.Conclusions 
                  Only vigorous PA was consistently associated with lower levels of waist circumference, body mass index z score, systolic blood pressure, and increased cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. These findings underscore the importance of vigorous PA in guidelines for children and adolescents.