Aerobic capacity, obesity, and atherosclerotic risk factors in male adolescents

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) Vol. 75; no. 5; pp. 813 - 818
• Main Authors: Fripp, Raymond R, Hodgson, James L, Kwiterovich, Peter O, Werner, John C, Schuler, H Gregg, Whitman, Victor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elk Grove Village, IL American Academy of Pediatrics 01-05-1985
• Subjects: ADOLESCENCE; ADOLESCENCIA; Adolescent; Arteriosclerosis - etiology; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body Weight; Cardiology. Vascular system; CARDIOPATHIE; Cholesterol - blood; COMPOSICION DE LA SANGRE; COMPOSITION DU SANG; ENFANT; ENFERMEDADES CARDIACAS; Humans; Hypertension - complications; Lipoproteins, HDL - blood; Male; Medical sciences; METABOLISME DES LIPIDES; METABOLISMO DE LIPIDOS; NINOS; Obesity - complications; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Exertion; Physical Fitness; PRESION SANGUINEA; PRESSION SANGUINE; Regression Analysis; RESPIRACION; RESPIRATION; RIESGO; Risk; RISQUE; SOBREPESO; SURPOIDS; Triglycerides - blood; Obesity; Adolescent; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor
• ISSN: 0031-4005; 1098-4275
• DOI: 10.1542/peds.75.5.813

Extract: Correlations between aerobic capacity, obesity, and atherosclerotic risks factors were evaluated in adolescents with low-to-moderate levels of physical fitness. Subjects with higher levels of fitness had a more favorable risk profile with decreased body mass index, lower systolic and diastolic blood presure and plasma triglyceride levels, and higher plasma high-debsity lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. Simple linear regression analysis revealed an association between body mass index and blood pressure, plasma triglyceride and plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. The level of aerobic fitness as determined by exercise duration was also associated with the same atherosclerotic risk factors. However, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that body mass index provided the largest explanation, by those variables examined, of the interindicidual variance in blood pressure, plasma triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Aerobic fitness contributed only minimally to the variation in these risk factors. These findings suggest that if aerobic conditioning is used to modify atherosclerotic risk factors, it should be accompanted by a reduction in weight in adolescents with low-to-moderate levels of physical fitness. (Author)