Light exercise can be key to reducing childhood obesity linked to inactivity

Childhood obesity is directly connected to increased sedentary time as a youngster through puberty but new research has discovered that mild physical activity can totally reverse the negative trendThe study published in Nature Communications was conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter Eastern Finland Bristol and Colorado and is the largest and longest followup to objectively measure physical activity and fat mass using data from the University of Bristols Children of the 90s also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children The study comprised 6059 11yearold children 53 percent of whom were female who were followed up on until the age of 24Recent reports concluded that more than 80 percent of adolescents across the globe do not meet the World Health Organizations WHO recommended average of 60 minutes a day of moderatetovigorous physical activity It is estimated that physical inactivity will have caused 500 million new cases of heart disease obesity diabetes or other noncommunicable diseases by 2030 costing PS21million annually This alarming forecast regarding the morbid danger of physical inactivity necessitates urgent research on the most effective preventive approachYet results from this new study shows that moderatetovigorous physical activity is up to ten times less effective than light physical activity in decreasing overall gain in fat massDr Andrew Agbaje of the University of Exeter led the study and said These new findings strongly emphasise that light physical activity may be an unsung hero in preventing fat mass obesity from early life It is about time the world replaced the mantra of an average of 60 minutes a day of moderatetovigorous physical activity with at least 3 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 populationDuring the study a waistworn accelerometer measured sedentary time light physical activity and moderatetovigorous physical activity among participants at ages 11 15 and 24 years Dualenergy Xray absorptiometrymeasured fat mass and skeletal muscle mass were also collected at the same ages and fasting blood samples were repeatedly measured for glucose insulin highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol triglyceride and highsensitivity Creactive protein In addition blood pressure heart rate smoking status socioeconomic status and family history of cardiovascular disease were measured and controlled for in the analysesDuring the 13year followup sedentary time increased from approximately six hours a day in childhood to nine hours a day in young adulthood Light physical activity decreased from six hours a day to three hours a day while moderatetovigorous physical activity was relatively stable at around 50 minutes a day from childhood through young adulthoodIt was observed that each minute spent sedentary was associated with a 13gram increase in total body fat mass Both male and female children gained an average of 10kg of fat mass during growth from childhood until young adulthood However sedentary time potentially contributed 700 grams to 1kg of fat mass approximately seven to ten percent of the total fat mass gained during growth from childhood until young adulthood A 1kg increase in fat has been linked to a 60percent higher risk of premature death in a persons early 50sEach minute spent in light physical activity during growth from childhood through young adulthood was associated with a 36gram reduction in total body fat mass This implies that cumulative light physical activity decreased total body fat mass by 950 grams to 15kg during growth from childhood to young adulthood approximately 95 to 15 percent decrease in overall gain in fat mass during the 13year observation period Examples of light physical activity are long walks house chores slow dancing slow swimming and slow bicyclingIn contrast time spent in moderatetovigorous physical activity including meeting the 60 minutes a day recommended by the WHO during growth from childhood through young adulthood was associated with 70 to 170 grams approximately 07 to 17 percent reduction in total body fat mass Prior to this study it has not been possible to quantify the longterm contribution of sedentary time to fat mass obesity and the magnitude by which physical activity may reduce it But this study confirmed the report from a recent metaanalysis of 140 schoolbased randomised controlled trials across the globe that engaging in moderatetovigorous physical activity had minimal or no effect in reducing childhood BMIobesityDr Andrew Agbaje of the University of Exeter said Our study provides novel information that would be useful in updating future health guidelines and policy statements Public health experts health policymakers health journalists and bloggers paediatricians and parents should encourage continued and sustained participation in light physical activity to prevent childhood obesityThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever