Jacqueline Bexiga Urban

Participation in sports is the main manifestation/subdomain of physical exercise in adolescents and affects cardiovascular health in different ways. To analyze the relationship between body fatness and arterial wall thickness as well as the mediating role of sports participation in this relationship among adolescents. This cross-sectional study is linked to the ABCD-Growth Study conducted in Presidente Prudente, Brazil. The study sample included 402 adolescents (275 boys and 127 girls) aged 11–17 years recruited from schools (non-sport group) and sports clubs (sports group). Sex-stratified multivariate model was created using structural equation modelling (SEM) with carotid (CIMT) and femoral arterial wall thickness (FIMT) as dependent variables were assessed by an ultrasound device. Body fatness percentage (BF) as the independent variable and was assessed by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and sports participation as a moderator was assessed by face-to-face interviews. The maturity offset and dyslipidemia were treated as confounders in the mediation models. In girls, body fatness was positively associated with FIMT (r = 0.210 [95%CI: 0.035; 0.372]) but not with CIMT (r= -0.148 [95%CI: -0.314; 0.027]), whereas sports participation was not associated with vascular structure. In boys, body fatness was inversely related to CIMT (r= -0.285 [95%CI: -0.390; -0.172]) and positively to FIMT (r = 0.129 [95%CI: 0.011; 0.244]), whereas sports participation was inversely related to FIMT (r= -0.142 [95%CI: -0.256; -0.024]). Among boys, sports participation mediated 7.4% of the relationship between body fatness and FIMT, and the association between body fatness and FIMT remained significant (r = 0.168 [95%CI: 0.037; 0.299]). Sports participation mediates the relationship between BF and arterial thickness in adolescent boys.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis (DOHaD) proposes that growth during the prenatal period might play a critical role in health, affecting the development of diseases, such as osteoporosis. Bone health is particularly affected by human behaviors when sports participation constitutes the main manifestation of physical exercise. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between birth weight (BW) and bone mineral content (BMC) among adolescents, as well as to identify if sports participation and maturity can affect this relationship. The sample was composed of adolescents with ages ranging from 11 to 18 years, stratified according to normal birth weight (n = 331), low birth weight (n = 36), and macrosomia (n = 47), extracted from a wider cross‐sectional study (ABCD Growth Study). BW was self‐reported by the adolescent's parent. Sports participation was assessed by face‐to‐face interview. BMC was assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. In the multivariate models, the relationships between BW and BMC remained non‐significant, while sports participation was significantly related to BMC on lower limbs among boys (r = 0.154; p value = .001) and BMC of upper limbs among girls (r = 0.124; p value = .044). APHV was related to BMC of upper limbs among boys (r = 0.137; p value = .001). In conclusion, BMC was not affected by BW, while this phenomenon seems to be significantly affected by the positive impact of sports participation and maturation on it.

Background: To investigate the combined impact of being engaged in resistance training (RT) and meeting the physical activity guidelines through sports participation (SP) on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in lean adolescents. Methods: A longitudinal study, part of the ongoing study entitled “ABCD Growth Study” (Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth), assessed data from 64 adolescents (23 from the sport group, 11 from the sport + RT group, and 30 from the control group). Metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes were analyzed as dependent variables. For the independent variables, sports participation and resistance training were considered, and for the covariates, sex, chronological age, body weight, height, and somatic maturation. Results: After 12 months of follow-up, the RT + SP presented improvements in triglycerides (TG) and the SP presented a reduction in LDL-c, TG, and glucose when compared to the control group. Conclusions: Being engaged in RT and SP is a good strategy to improve health in eutrophic adolescents, with a great impact on TG from the lipid profile.

Study objective Different behaviors are considered important factors that may influence a healthy lifestyle. Given this fact, we aim to analyze the relationship between moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sleep time, and sedentary time, with cardiometabolic outcomes in adolescents. Methods Cross-sectional study, with 152 eutrophic and healthy adolescents. The behavioral variables were collected objectively and the arterial thickness was measured through ultrasound. Blood variables (LDL, TG, HDL, glucose, and insulin) were collected in a private laboratory. To analyze the data, the Student t test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the groups. All analyses adopted p < 0.05. Results Girls who demonstrated better combined behaviors, presented significant results for TG (p = 0.045), BP (p = 0.016), and cardiovascular score (p = 0.049) when compared to their peers. Furthermore, the practice of physical activity combined with sufficient sleep time was associated with lower values of arterial thickening (p = 0.017). Conclusions In view of the results presented, it is possible to state that the aggregation of behaviors was more consistent in females and that the practice of physical activity and adequate sleep time can reflect on cardiovascular health.

Objectives Sports are an important way to improve health during adolescence. However, it is still unclear whether the association between sports, blood pressure, and metabolic profile could be affected by sex, biological maturation, and trunk fatness. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between sports participation and the cluster of cardiovascular markers among adolescents of both sexes. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 285 adolescents aged from 11 to 17 years of age (202 boys and 83 girls). Cardiovascular variables were composed of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), resting heart rate (RHR), and carotid (CIMT) and femoral (FIMT) intima–media thickness, which were used to calculate the Cardiovascular_{Z score}. Sports participation was assessed through a face-to-face interview. Age of peak height velocity (APHV) was used as a covariate. Results Among girls, the group engaged in sports presented lower values of RHR (sport: − 0.344 [95% CI − 0.650 to − 0.037] versus non-sport: 0.540 [95% CI 0.125 to 0.954]) and Cardiovascular_{Z score} (sport: − 0.585 [95% CI − 1.329 to 0.159] versus non-sport: 0.879 [95% CI − 0.127 to 1.884]), explaining 12.2% and 6.1% of all variance, respectively. Among boys, the group engaged in sports presented lower values of DBP (sport: − 0.158 [95% CI − 0.335 to 0.018] versus non-sport: 0.160 [95% CI − 0.091 to 0.412]) and FIMT (sport: − 0.128 [95% CI − 0.300 to − 0.044] versus non-sport: 0.211 [95% CI − 0.032 to 0.454]), explaining 2.2% and 2.6% of all variance, respectively. Conclusions for Practice Adolescents engaged in sports presented healthier cardiovascular parameters, and sports participation seems to affect cardiovascular health differently in boys and girls.

To analyze the impact of participation in sports with different cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) demands on changes in metabolic and cardiovascular markers in adolescents. Longitudinal study with 12 months of follow‐up (Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth [ABCD Growth Study]). Overall, 184 adolescents (age 15.6 ± 2.1) were classified according to sports participation: non‐sport (control), low CRF sports, and high CRF sports. Metabolic outcomes were total cholesterol (TC) and its fractions, triacylglycerol (TG), glucose, insulin levels, and the insulin resistance index. Cardiovascular outcomes were arterial thickness (carotid and femoral [ultrasound]), blood pressure, and resting heart rate. Adolescents engaged in sports classified as high CRF demand presented a significant increase in HDL‐c (1.2 mg/dL [95%CI: −0.5 to 3.0]) when compared to the non‐sport group (−2.4 mg/dL [95%CI: −4.4 to −0.5]). Regular engagement in high CRF sports was significantly related to changes in TC (β = −0.027 [95%CI: −0.048 to −0.005]), HDL‐c (β = 0.009 [95%CI: 0.001 to 0.019]), LDL‐c (β = −0.032 [95%CI: −0.049 to −0.016]), and glucose (β = −0.017 [95%CI: −0.025 to −0.008]), while engagement in low CRF sports was related to changes in TG (β = −0.065 [95%CI: −0.112 to −0.019]). No significant relationships for cardiovascular parameters were observed in the low CRF group, but one significant relationship was found between high CRF sports and changes in SBP (β = −0.063 [95%CI: −0.117 to −0.009]). In conclusion, engagement in sports seems to be beneficial for improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular parameters in adolescents, mainly sports with higher CRF demand.

Objective:To analyse the relationship of altered birth weight with metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes among adolescents, as well as to identify if sports participation is able to attenuate or even eliminate the impact of birth weight on health outcomes.Methods:Cross-sectional study (Analysis of Behaviours of Children During Growth [ABCD Growth Study]). Adolescents with age ranging from 11 to 18 years old (14.7±2.1) stratified according to normal (n = 230) and altered (n = 35) birth weight composed the sample. Birth weight was self-reported by adolescent’s parents. Sports participation was assessed by face-to-face interview. Carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) and femoral intima–media thickness (FIMT) were measured using an ultrasound device. C-reactive protein levels were used to assess the inflammatory status. Blood pressure, Z score of metabolic risk (dyslipidemia and glucose), adiposity, and insulin resistance were covariates.Results:In the crude model, FIMT (p value = 0.037) and C-reactive protein (p value = 0.029) were affected by altered birth weight. In the adjusted models, altered birth weight affected FIMT (p value = 0.048; small effect size of 1.7%), independently of sports participation. For C-reactive protein, previous time of engagement in sports (p value = 0.001; small effect size of 4.8%) affected C-reactive protein, independently of birth weight.Conclusion:Vascular structure seems to be affected by birth weight in adolescents, while its impact on inflammation seems to be attenuated by the regular engagement in sports.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between sports participation and C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in adolescents and to identify the possible role of mediation developed by trunk fatness (TF).Methods: Cross‐sectional design, part of the longitudinal study entitled “Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth” (ABCD Growth Study), Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil. The sample comprised 259 adolescents (14.7 ± 2.1 [182 boys and 77 girls]) stratified according to sex and engagement in sports in agreement with the inclusion criteria: absence of any known diseases; previous engagement in sports for at least 12 months (≥300 minutes weekly); no regular engagement in sports in the previous 12 months (non‐regular sports participation or <300 min/wk); written parental consent and adolescents' assent both signed. Engagement in sports was self‐reported. CRP levels were used to assess the inflammatory status. TF was estimated by a densitometer scanner. Age, biological maturation, HOMA‐IR, and blood pressure were treated as covariates.Results: There was no mediation effect of TF in the association of any indicators of sports practice and CRP. However, a direct effect of sports was observed on CRP levels when considering previous months of engagement, frequency, and volume of sports for boys and also previous months of engagement in sports for girls.Conclusion: Previous sports participation and the amount of engagement in sports per week (≥300 min/wk) presented an inverse relationship with CRP levels; however, trunk fatness did not mediate this process.

Objective: To analyze the association of potential risk factors to health with body fatness and insulin resistance. Baseline measures of the ongoing longitudinal Analysis of Behaviors of Children During (ABCD) Growth Study. Materials and Methods: The sample was composed of 280 adolescents of both sexes (198 boys and 82 girls) aged from 10 to 18 years. Four risk factors were considered, as follows: no sports practice, skipping breakfast, poor sleep quality, and TV viewing. The outcomes considered were insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and body fatness (densitometer scanner). Age, sex, maturity offset, and ethnicity were treated as covariates. Results: No sports practice and skipping breakfast were associated with higher body fatness (Sports practice: Wald: 8.786; p = 0.003. Breakfast: Wald: 9.364; p = 0.002). Poor sleep quality was related to a greater HOMA-IR index (Wald: 6.013; p = 0.014). Adolescents with ≥3 risk factors presented a higher risk of high HOMA-IR (OR = 4.89 (95%CI: 1.61 to 14.84)) than their counterparts with no risk factors. Conclusion: Lifestyle risk factors seem relevant to affect obesity and insulin resistance, while the aggregation of these risk factors affects insulin resistance, independent of adiposity.

Objective: We analyzed the longitudinal relationship between breakfast intake and adiposity among adolescents, and the possible mediation role of physical activity on this phenomenon.Methods: We conducted the longitudinal study composed of 86 adolescents (11–14 years old), absence of any known chronic diseases and no regular medicine use that returned the formal consent and assent both signed. Breakfast intake was reported through face‐to‐face interviews. Adiposity was assessed using a densitometry scanner. Physical activity was estimated through step counts performed using pedometers. Biological maturation was estimated through the maturity level. Student t test for independent samples was used to compare adolescents who were “nonskipping breakfast” and “skipping breakfast,” whereas the relationship between adiposity, physical activity, and skipping breakfast was assessed using Pearson correlation. Structural equation model was created to identify the mediation role of physical activity on the relationship between nonskipping breakfast and adiposity.Results: After 12 months, adolescents who had consumed breakfast regularly presented decreased trunk fatness (−3.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): −6.9 to −0.2]) and body fatness (−2.3% [95% CI: −3.9 to −0.7]) compared with their counterparts. Physical activity had an inverse relationship with trunk fatness (r = −0.270 [95% CI: −0.457 to −0.060]). Nonskipping breakfast was, however, not significantly related to trunk fatness; however, physical activity seems to reduce trunk fatness in our sample (r = −0.281; 95% CI: −0.479 to −0.083).Conclusions: Adolescents who ate breakfast regularly presented lower body fatness independent of physical activity, whereas trunk fatness decreased in adolescents who improved physical activity.