Open Access
Feasibility and reliability of physical fitness tests among Colombian preschool children
(MDPI, 2019) Amado Pacheco, Julio César; Prieto Benavides, Daniel Humberto; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; García Hermoso, Antonio; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Alonso Martínez, Alicia; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility and reliability of physical fitness field tests used in the 'Fuprecol kids' study among Colombian preschool children aged 3-5 years. A total of 90 preschoolers aged 3-5 years participated in the study. Weight, height, waist circumference, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), musculoskeletal fitness (handgrip strength and standing broad jump), speed-agility (4 × 10 m shuttle run), and flexibility (sit and reach test) components were tested twice (two weeks apart). The feasibility of the tests (preschoolers able to complete the test) ranged from 96% in the CRF test to 100% in the musculoskeletal fitness, speed-agility, and flexibility tests. Overall, the %TEMs were 0.625% for the weight, 0.378% for the height, 1.035% for the body mass index, and 0.547 % for the waist circumference. In addition, all tests were substantial reliable, for CRF (in stages and laps, concordance correlation coefficient = 0.944 and 0.941, respectively) in both sexes and flexibility (concordance correlation coefficient = 0.949) in girls. There were no significant differences in fitness test-retest mean differences in the boys (P gt; 0.05), except in CRF (laps P = 0.017). In girls, there were differences in CRF (stages (P = 0.017) and laps (P= 0.013)), and flexibility (P = 0.002) variables. The results from this study indicate that the 'Fuprecol kids' battery of tests, administered by physical education teachers, was reliable and feasible for measuring components of physical fitness in preschoolers in a school setting in Colombia.
Open Access
Role of sleep duration and sleep-related problems in the metabolic syndrome among children and adolescents
(BMC, 2018) Pulido-Arjona, Leonardo; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Mota, Jorge; Santos, Rute; Correa Rodríguez, María; García Hermoso, Antonio; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: There is increasing recognition that sleep is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between self-reported sleep duration, sleep-related problems and the presence of MetS in children and adolescents from Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis from the FUPRECOL study (2014-15). Participants included 2779 (54.2% girls) youth from Bogota (Colombia). MetS was defined as the presence of ¿3 of the metabolic abnormalities (hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c], hypertension, and increased waist circumference) according to the criteria of de Ferranti/Magge and colleges. Self-reported sleep duration and sleep-related problems were assessed with the BEARS questionnaire. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that boys who meet recommended duration of sleep had a decreased risk of elevated blood glucose levels (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95%CI [0.40-0.94]; p = 0.031) compared to boys who have short-long sleep duration. Also, compared to young without sleep problems, excessive sleepiness during the day was related to low HDL-c levels in boys (OR = 1.36, 95%CI [1.02-1.83]; p = 0.036) and high triglyceride levels in girls (OR = 1.28, 95%CI [1.01-1.63]; p = 0.045). Girls with irregular sleep patterns had decreased HDL-c levels (OR = 0.71, 95%CI [0.55-0.91]; p = 0.009). Conclusions: Recommended sleep duration was associated with a decreased risk of elevated fasting glucose levels in boys, and sleep problems was related to lower HDL-c in girls and higher triglyceride levels in boys. These findings suggested the clinical importance of improving sleep hygiene to reduce metabolic risk factors in children and adolescents.
Open Access
Top 10 international priorities for physical fitness research and surveillance among children and adolescents: a twin-panel Delphi study
(Springer, 2022) Lang, Justin J.; Zhang, Kai; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Andersen, Lars Bo; Basterfield, Laura; Berglind, Daniel; Blain, Dylan O.; Cadenas-Sánchez, Cristina; Cameron, Christine; Carson, Valerie; Colley, Rachel C.; Csányi, Tamás; Faigenbaum, Avery D.; García Hermoso, Antonio; Queiroz Ferreira Gomes, Thayse Natacha; Gribbon, Aidan; Janssen, Ian; Jurak, Gregor; Kaj, Mónika; Kidokoro, Tetsuhiro; Lane, Kirstin N.; Liu, Yang; Löf, Marie; Lubans, David R.; Magnussen, Costan G.; Manyanga, Taru; McGrath, Ryan; Mota, Jorge; Olds, Tim; Onywera, Vincent O.; Ortega, Francisco B.; Oyeyemi, Adewale L.; Prince, Stephanie A.; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Roberts, Karen C.; Rubín, Lukáš; Servais, Jennifer; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos; Silva, Danilo R.; Smith, Jordan J.; Song, Yi; Stratton, Gareth; Timmons, Brian W.; Tomkinson, Grant R.; Tremblay, Mark S.; Wong, Stephen H. S.; Fraser, Brooklyn J.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background The measurement of physical ftness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical ftness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future eforts. Objective This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical ftness among children and adolescents. Methods Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identifed (panel 1=28, panel 2=18). The panel participants were asked to list up to fve priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identifed by the other panel. Results There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: rs=0.76, p<0.01; panel 2: rs=0.77, p<0.01) in the priorities identifed. The list of the fnal top 10 priorities included (i) “conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in ftness and associations with health”. This was followed by (ii) “use ftness surveillance to inform decision making”, and (iii) “implement regular and consistent international/national ftness surveys using common measures”. Conclusions The priorities identifed in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research eforts on the physical ftness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond.
Open Access
Cardiorespiratory fitness cut-points are related to body adiposity parameters in Latin American adolescents
(MDPI, 2019) Prieto Benavides, Daniel Humberto; García Hermoso, Antonio; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Alonso Martínez, Alicia; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background and Objectives: A deficiency exists in the criterion-referenced cut-points for field-based cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in Latin American youths. The aims of the present study were two-fold: (1) To identify the ability of CRF estimated by the 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) to differentiate between 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' phenotypes (by adiposity) in adolescents; (2) to assess the association between obesity and relative peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in a large and diverse sample of Latin American youths. In total, 72,505 adolescents aged between 13 and 15 years were recruited from Chile and Colombia (47.5% girls). Materials and Methods: The waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were used to identify body adiposity markers. CRF was measured using the 20mSRT (VO2peak). Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression were used to determine the discriminatory ability of CRF to predict body adiposity parameters. Results: For boys and girls, VO2peak showed a significant predictive capacity to detect body fat (area under the curve [AUC] > 0.62). The sensitivity of VO2peak was medium (>63%) for all age- and sex-specific cut-points, with optimal cut-points in 13- to 15-year olds for obesity identified as 43.77 mL·kg-1·min-1 and 38.53 mL·kg-1·min-1 in boys and girls, respectively. Conclusions: According to these cut-points, adolescents with low CRF were more likely to be obese either by WC or WHtR. The CRF cut-points can be used as quantitative markers for a healthier body in Latin American adolescents.
Open Access
Pubertal stage, body mass index, and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents in Bogotá, Colombia: the cross-sectional FUPRECOL study
(MDPI, 2017) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; García Hermoso, Antonio; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Mota, Jorge; Santos, Rute; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Peña-Guzmán, Carlos Andrés; Domínguez Sánchez, María Andrea; Schmidt Río-Valle, Jacqueline; González Jiménez, Emilio; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
This study explored the association between pubertal stage and anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors in youth. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2877 Colombian children and adolescents (9¿17.9 years of age). Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A biochemical study was performed to determine the cardiometabolic risk index (CMRI). Blood pressure was evaluated and pubertal stage was assessed with the Tanner criteria. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. The most significant variable (p < 0.05) in the prognosis of cardiometabolic risk was found to be the BMI in both boys and girls. In the case of girls, the pubertal stage was also a CMRI predictive factor. In conclusion, BMI was an important indicator of cardiovascular risk in both sexes. Pubertal stage was associated with cardiovascular risk only in the girls.
Open Access
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels may attenuate the detrimental association between weight status, metabolic phenotype and C-reactive protein in adolescents—a multi-cohort study
(MDPI, 2020) Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Rosário, Rafaela; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; García Hermoso, Antonio; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, CENEDUCA1/2019; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Results from several studies show that only obese, unfit subjects, but not obese, fit subjects, are at higher mortality risk than are normal-weight fit subjects. The aim of the study was two-fold: (1) to examine the differences in C-reactive protein levels across different metabolic phenotypes (healthy and unhealthy) of weight status and (2) ascertain whether high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) attenuate the association of C-reactive protein and metabolic phenotypes of weight status. This was a pooled study, which included data from three cross-sectional projects (1706 youth (921 girls) aged 12–18 years). We used a Shuttle run test to assess CRF. Adolescents were classified into six metabolic phenotypes (healthy and unhealthy) of weight status (non-overweight, overweight and obese), based on age-and sex-specific cutoff points for triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, glucose and body mass index. High-sensitivity assays were used to obtain the C-reactive protein as inflammatory biomarker. After adjustment for potential confounders (age, sex, pubertal stage and country), the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) shows that C-reactive protein is directly associated with metabolic phenotypes of weight status. Subjects with obesity, regardless of their metabolic profile, had higher levels of C-reactive protein Z-score. In addition, (after adjustments for potential confounders) a two-way ANCOVA showed that high levels of CRF attenuated the associations of C-reactive protein levels in metabolic healthy nonoverweight and in adolescents with obesity. In conclusion, higher CRF levels may attenuate the detrimental association between obesity and C-reactive protein independently of metabolic phenotype. Findings from this study are important for prevention, clinical practice on issues associated with adiposity and metabolic disorders.
Open Access
A narrative review of motor competence in children and adolescents: what we know and what we need to find out
(MDPI, 2021) Lopes, Luís; Santos, Rute; Coelho e Silva, Manuel; Draper, Catherine; Mota, Jorge; Jidovtseff, Boris; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Clark, Cain; Schmidt, Mirko; Morgan, Philip; Duncan, Michael; O’Brien, Wesley; Bentsen, Peter; D´Hondt, Eva; Houwen, Suzanne; Stratton, Gareth; De Martelaer, Kristine; Scheuer, Claude; Herrmann, Christian; García Hermoso, Antonio; Palmeira, António; Gerlach, Erin; Rosário, Rafaela; Issartel, Johann; Esteban Cornejo, Irene; Ruiz, Jonatan R.; Veldman, Sanne; Zhang, Zhiguang; Colella, Dario; Póvoas, Susana; Haibach-Beach, Pamela; Pereira, João; McGrane, Bronagh; Saraiva, João; Temple, Viviene; Silva, Pedro; Sigmund, Erik; Sousa-Sá, Eduarda; Adamakis, Manolis; Moreira, Carla; Utesch, Till; True, Larissa; Cheung, Peggy; Carcamo Oyarzun, Jaime; Charitou, Sophia; Chillón, Palma; Robazza, Claudio; Silva, Ana; Silva, Danilo R.; Lima, Rodrigo; Mourão-Carvalhal, Isabel; Khodaverdi, Zeinab; Zequinão, Marcela; Pereira, Beatriz; Prista, Antonio; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Lack of physical activity is a global public health problem causing not only morbidity and premature mortality, but it is also a major economic burden worldwide. One of the cornerstones of a physically active lifestyle is motor competence (MC). MC is a complex biocultural attribute and therefore, its study requires a multi-sectoral, multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary approach. MC is a growing area of research, especially in children and adolescents due to its positive association with a plethora of health and developmental outcomes. Many questions, however, remain to be answered in this field of research, with regard to: (i) Health and Developmental-related Associations of MC; (ii) Assessment of MC; (iii) Prevalence and Trends of MC; (iv) Correlates and Determinants of MC; (v) MC Interventions, and (vi) Translating MC Research into Practice and Policy. This paper presents a narrative review of the literature, summarizing current knowledge, identifying key research gaps and presenting questions for future investigation on MC in children and adolescents. This is a collaborative effort from the International Motor Competence Network (IMCNetwork) a network of academics and researchers aiming to promote international collaborative research and knowledge translation in the expansive field of MC. The knowledge and deliverables generated by addressing and answering the aforementioned research questions on MC presented in this review have the potential to shape the ways in which researchers and practitioners promote MC and physical activity in children and adolescents across the world.
Open Access
Optimal adherence to a mediterranean diet may not overcome the deleterious effects of low physical fitness on cardiovascular disease risk in adolescents: a cross-sectional pooled analysis
(MDPI, 2018) Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Santos, Rute; Rosário, Rafaela; Moreira, Carla; Lopes, Luís; Mota, Jorge; Martinkenas, Arvydas; García Hermoso, Antonio; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
To examine the combined association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular fitness (MF), and adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) on cardiovascular risk in adolescents, a pooled study, including cross-sectional data from two projects [2477 adolescents (1320 girls) aged 12-18 years], was completed. A shuttle run test was used to assess CRF. MF was assessed by the standing-long jump and handgrip tests. Adherence to a MeDiet was assessed by the Kidmed questionnaire. A cardiovascular risk score was computed from the following components: Age and sex, waist circumference, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and glucose. Analysis of covariance showed that participants classified as having optimal (High) adherence to a MeDiet/HighMF/HighCRF, as well those classified as low adherence to a MeDiet/HighMF/HighCRF, had, on average, the lowest cardiovascular risk score (F = 15.6; p < 0.001). In addition, the high adherence to a MeDiet/LowMF/LowCRF group had the highest odds of having a high cardiovascular risk (OR = 7.1; 95% CI: 3.4-15.1; p < 0.001), followed by the low adherence to a MeDiet/LowMF/LowCRF group (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 2.2-6.3; p < 0.001), high adherence to a MeDiet/HighMF/LowCRF group (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.4-7.0; p = 0.006), and low adherence to a MeDiet/LowMF/HighCRF group (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5-4.4; p = 0.002) when compared to those with high adherence to a MeDiet/HighMF/HighCRF, after adjustments for potential confounders. In conclusion, our findings showed that, regardless of the MeDiet status, adolescents with low MF and low CRF cumulatively, presented the highest cardiovascular disease risk. Therefore, these findings suggest that the combination of these two fitness components may be beneficial to adolescents¿ cardiometabolic profile, independent of MeDiet behaviour.
Open Access
Cardiorespiratory fitness normative values in Latin-american adolescents: role of fatness parameters
(MDPI, 2019) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; García Hermoso, Antonio; Alonso Martínez, Alicia; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Triana Reina, Héctor Reynaldo; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The aim of this study was to provide percentile values for a cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) field test for Latin-American adolescents (34,461 girls and 38,044 boys) aged 13 to 15 years. The role of fatness parameters on the CRF level across age groups was also examined, with a focus on non-obese (healthy) and obese groups. CRF was assessed using the 20-meter shuttle run test protocol. Anthropometric parameters were measured using body mass index z-score (body mass index (BMI) z-score), BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Participants were categorized according to the BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR international cut-off points as healthy and obese. Age-and sex-specific reference tables for the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th centile scores were calculated using Cole’s lambda, mu, and sigma method. The prevalence of obesity according to the BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR was 9.6%, 11.2%, and 15.0%, respectively. Across all age and sex groups, a negative association was found between relative peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) and BMI, WC, and WHtR. In boys and girls there were higher levels of performance across all age groups, with most apparent gains between the ages of 13 and 14 years old. Overall, participants categorized in the healthy group had shown to have significantly higher VO2 peak than their obese counterparts (p < 0.001; Cohen’s d> 1.0). In conclusion, our study provides age-and sex-specific reference values for CRF (VO2 peak, mL·kg−1·min−1 ). The anthropometric parameters were inversely associated with CRF in all ages in both sexes. The obese group had worse CRF than their healthy counterparts independent of anthropometric parameters used to determine obesity.
Open Access
Normal-weight obesity is associated with poorer cardiometabolic profile and lower physical fitness levels in children and adolescents
(MDPI, 2020) García Hermoso, Antonio; Agostinis-Sobrinho, César; Camargo Villalba, Gloria Eugenia; González Jiménez, Nubia Mercedes; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Correa Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Normal-weight obesity (NWO) syndrome has been shown to be associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction. However, little is known regarding this potential relationship in Latin American children and adolescents. The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to investigate whether Colombian youth with NWO syndrome have a poorer cardiometabolic profile and physical fitness performance than normal-weight lean (NWL) peers; and (ii) to determine if physical fitness levels are related to prevalence of normal-weight obesity in youth. This was an analytical cross-sectional study of 1919 youths (9–179 years old, 53.0% girls) in the capital area of Colombia. NWO was defined as a body mass index < 25 kg/m2 and a validated body fat percentage above the sex-age-specific 90th percentile for Colombian children and adolescents. Body fat was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was estimated using the 20-meter shuttle run test, and muscular fitness with the handgrip test. Biochemical profile blood samples were collected for cardiometabolic risk factors. After adjusting for chronological age, pubertal stage, and Mediterranean diet adherence, the NWO group (boys and girls) had significantly higher values for cardiometabolic risk factors, and waist circumference (WC) than the NWL group. The prevalence of NWO was lower in youth classified with healthy CRF (boys, odds ratio (OR) = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.78; girls, OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.50), p < 0.001. Our findings indicate that using only body mass index for the assessment of cardiometabolic risk likely misrepresents true adiposity and suggest the need to include the assessment of body fat in the routine clinical evaluation of individuals during childhood and adolescence.