Children who are sedentary may have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke later in life

Children who are physically inactive may have high cholesterol in early adulthood and subsequent heart health issues in their mid-forties, according to new research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

High cholesterol during childhood has been associated with early signs of heart disease when individuals reach their mid-twenties and an increased risk of premature cardiovascular death in their mid-forties. Several clinical trials aimed at lowering cholesterol levels in the youth population have had minimal or no effect.

“Our study shows increased sedentary time in childhood may contribute to two-thirds of the total increase in a person’s cholesterol levels before their mid-twenties. This suggests childhood sedentariness may be a major risk factor for elevated cholesterol and subsequent premature heart attack or stroke when individuals reach their mid-forties,” said study author Andrew O. Agbaje, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, Finland. “We also discovered light-intensity physical activity from childhood may be 5-8 times more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at reversing the adverse effect of sedentary time on high cholesterol.”

They also determined light physical activity decreased from 6 hours/day in childhood to 3 hours/day in young adulthood but was cumulatively associated with reduced total cholesterol. Increased total body fat slightly reduced the effect of light physical activity on total cholesterol.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was relatively stable around 50 mins/day from childhood until young adulthood and was only associated with reduced total cholesterol, but increased total body fat seriously diminished the effect of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on total cholesterol.

Reference: Children who are sedentary may have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke later in life; The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism