A sedentary lifestyle during childhood can have long-term negative consequences, such as increasing cholesterol levels by up to 67% when reaching adulthood – which in turn leads to cardiovascular problems – according to a new study that, however, also has found that practicing light physical activity can completely reverse the risks and is much more effective than moderate to vigorous physical exercise.
The research that has reached this conclusion was carried out in collaboration between the University of Exeter, the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Bristol using data from the University of Bristol study ‘Children of the 90s’ (also known as ‘ Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children’), which included 792 11-year-old children who were followed until age 24.
The results have been published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and reveal that sedentary time accumulated since childhood can increase cholesterol levels by two-thirds (67%) by the time someone reaches the middle of the second decade of life. This data is worrying considering that high cholesterol and dyslipidemia since childhood and adolescence have been associated with premature death around the age of 45 and with the development of heart problems such as subclinical atherosclerosis and heart damage after the age of 25. years.
To prevent dyslipidemia and lower cholesterol, it is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle and, in addition to the type of diet, another important factor is movement. This study objectively looked for the first time at the long-term impact of sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity on childhood cholesterol levels.
Light physical activity helps control weight and cholesterol
Current recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that children and adolescents should engage in an average of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day and reduce sedentary time, but their guidelines for light physical activity are limited. . However, this new study and other recent studies have found that light physical activity – which includes exercises such as long walks, housework or slow dancing, swimming or cycling – is up to five times more effective than moderate to vigorous physical activity for promote heart health and reduce inflammation in the young population.
Dr Andrew Agbaje from the University of Exeter, who led the study, said: “These findings emphasize the incredible health importance of light physical activity and show that it could be the key to preventing high cholesterol and dyslipidemia in people. First years of life. We have evidence that light physical activity is significantly more effective than moderate to vigorous physical activity in this regard, and so it may be time for the World Health Organization to update its guidelines on exercise in children. “, and public health experts, pediatricians and health care providers encourage greater participation in light physical activity from childhood.”
During the investigation, accelerometer measures of sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity were collected at ages 11, 15, and 24 years. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured repeatedly at ages 15, 17, and 24 years.
“Light physical activity seems to be the antidote to the catastrophic effect of sedentary time in the young population”
These children also underwent repeated measurements of dual-energy smoking, socioeconomic status and family history of cardiovascular disease.
During the 13-year follow-up, sedentary time increased from approximately six hours per day to nine hours per day and light physical activity decreased from six to three hours per day, while moderate to vigorous physical activity remained relatively stable at about 50 minutes a day from childhood to young adulthood. The mean increase in total cholesterol was 0.69 mmol/l, without any influence of body fat.
An average of four and a half hours per day of light physical activity from childhood to young adulthood causally decreased total cholesterol by (-0.53 mmol/L), but total body fat mass reduced the effect of physical activity moderate to vigorous on total cholesterol by up to 48%. Importantly, increasing fat mass neutralized the small effect of moderate to vigorous physical activity on total cholesterol.
These findings come shortly after another study led by Dr. Andrew Agbaje and published in Nature Communications found that light physical activity can completely reverse childhood obesity linked to increased sedentary time in more than 6,000 children. Sedentary time contributed to between 7 and 10% of the total fat mass accumulated during growth from childhood to young adulthood. Light physical activity decreased overall gain in fat mass by 9.5-15%, while moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduced fat mass by 0.7-1.7%.
“Our research suggests that light physical activity may be an unsung hero, and it’s time for the world to replace the mantra of ‘an average of 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity’ with ‘at least three hours a day.’ of light physical activity’. “Light physical activity appears to be the antidote to the catastrophic effect of sedentary time in the young population,” concluded Dr. Andrew Agbaje.
