PURPOSE: Examine whether cardiometabolic risk factors are predicted by fitness or fatness among adolescents. METHODS: Participants are 4955 (2614 female) sixth-grade students with complete data from 42 US middle schools. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and insulin concentrations. Waist circumference and blood pressure were assessed. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as normal weight, overweight, or obese as a measure of fatness. Fitness was assessed using the multistage shuttle test and was converted into gender-specific quintiles. Gender-specific regression models, adjusted for race, pubertal status, and household education, were run to identify whether BMI group predicted risk factors. Models were repeated with fitness group and both fitness and fatness groups as predictors. RESULTS: Means for each risk factor (except HDL, which was the reverse) were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) with increased fatness and differed across all BMI groups (P < 0.001). Waist circumference, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, and insulin were inversely associated with fitness (P < 0.001). When both fatness and fitness were included in the model, BMI was associated (P < 0.001) with almost all cardiometabolic risk factors; fitness was only associated with waist circumference (both genders), LDL-cholesterol (males), and insulin (both genders). Other associations between fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors were attenuated after adjustment for BMI group. CONCLUSIONS: Both fatness and fitness are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among sixth-grade youth, but stronger associations were observed for fatness. Although maintaining high levels of fitness and preventing obesity may positively affect cardiometabolic risk factors, greater benefit may be obtained from obesity prevention.
PURPOSE: Examine whether cardiometabolic risk factors are predicted by fitness or fatness among adolescents. METHODS:Participants are 4955 (2614 female) sixth-grade students with complete data from 42 US middle schools. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and insulin concentrations. Waist circumference and blood pressure were assessed. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as normal weight, overweight, or obese as a measure of fatness. Fitness was assessed using the multistage shuttle test and was converted into gender-specific quintiles. Gender-specific regression models, adjusted for race, pubertal status, and household education, were run to identify whether BMI group predicted risk factors. Models were repeated with fitness group and both fitness and fatness groups as predictors. RESULTS: Means for each risk factor (except HDL, which was the reverse) were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) with increased fatness and differed across all BMI groups (P < 0.001). Waist circumference, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, and insulin were inversely associated with fitness (P < 0.001). When both fatness and fitness were included in the model, BMI was associated (P < 0.001) with almost all cardiometabolic risk factors; fitness was only associated with waist circumference (both genders), LDL-cholesterol (males), and insulin (both genders). Other associations between fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors were attenuated after adjustment for BMI group. CONCLUSIONS: Both fatness and fitness are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among sixth-grade youth, but stronger associations were observed for fatness. Although maintaining high levels of fitness and preventing obesity may positively affect cardiometabolic risk factors, greater benefit may be obtained from obesity prevention.
Authors: John D Brunzell; Michael Davidson; Curt D Furberg; Ronald B Goldberg; Barbara V Howard; James H Stein; Joseph L Witztum Journal: J Am Coll Cardiol Date: 2008-04-15 Impact factor: 24.094
Authors: Rena R Wing; John Jakicic; Rebecca Neiberg; Wei Lang; Steven N Blair; Lawton Cooper; James O Hill; Karen C Johnson; Cora E Lewis Journal: Med Sci Sports Exerc Date: 2007-12 Impact factor: 5.411
Authors: Denise L Demmer; Lawrence J Beilin; Beth Hands; Sally Burrows; Kay L Cox; Wendy H Oddy; Trevor A Mori Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2017-12-01 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Russell Jago; Kimberly L Drews; Robert G McMurray; Tom Baranowski; Pietro Galassetti; Gary D Foster; Ester Moe; John B Buse Journal: Pediatr Exerc Sci Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 2.333
Authors: Nicholas M Edwards; Heidi J Kalkwarf; Jessica G Woo; Philip R Khoury; Stephen R Daniels; Elaine M Urbina Journal: Pediatr Exerc Sci Date: 2016-02-17 Impact factor: 2.333
Authors: Zhengzheng Huang; Chloe Park; Nish Chaturvedi; Laura D Howe; James E Sharman; Alun D Hughes; Martin G Schultz Journal: Scand J Med Sci Sports Date: 2021-05-08 Impact factor: 4.221
Authors: Mark D Peterson; Dongmei Liu; Heidi B IglayReger; William A Saltarelli; Paul S Visich; Paul M Gordon Journal: Cardiovasc Diabetol Date: 2012-11-28 Impact factor: 9.951