 The observational study, headed by Lars Bo Andersen, Professor of Physical Activity and Health at the Norwegian School of Sports Science, measured the cardiovascular disease risk factors and physical activity of two thousand children from Portugal, Estonia and Denmark using a device called an accelerometer. Anderson said that one of the benefits of the device is that it can be used to measure everyday activity, and the intensity of the activity. Previously, only actual designated exercise or ‘playing’ times have been measured, but by measuring everyday activity a more representative picture can be obtained.
Where other studies have monitored blood pressure or cholesterol in children, this study looked at cardiovascular disease risk factors as a whole. The children were aged either nine, or fifteen years in order to avoid obtaining confusing measurements from children during puberty. The results showed that children classified as sedentary, which in this case was defined as doing less than an hour and a half’s moderate activity each day, had three times the amount of cardiovascular disease risk factors than their most active counterparts. The less active children were found to be becoming slightly insulin resistant, which is seen as an indicator of metabolic syndrome.
Anderson said; ‘Over the years you probably gain a little bit of weight every year if you are sedentary, and the same physiological mechanisms cause the risk factors’.
Source: ABC Radio National, 31 July 2006
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