Abstract
Objective:
To examine the independent associations of objectively measured physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and fatness with low-grade inflammatory markers in adolescents.
Design:
Cross-sectional study in Spain.
Subjects:
A sample of 192 adolescents aged 13–17 years.
Measurements:
PA was assessed with an accelerometer for 7 days. A 20-m shuttle-run test was used to assess CRF. Skinfold thicknesses at six sites and WCs were measured. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and complement factors C3 and C4 were assayed. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated from glucose and insulin. Regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders and HOMA-IR was used to determine the associations between PA, CRF and fatness with low-grade inflammatory markers.
Results:
Total PA, vigorous PA and MVPA were positively associated with CRF (r=0.25–0.48), whereas vigorous PA was negatively associated with skinfolds (r=−0.27). CRF was inversely associated with fatness, (r=−0.30 to −0.48). CRF and fatness were inversely and positively associated with HOMA-IR (r=−0.16 and 0.21, respectively). PA variables were not independently associated with inflammatory markers. CRF and fatness were inversely and positively associated with CRP, C3 and C4, respectively. Only body fat explained a relevant amount of the variance of the model in CRP (4%) and C4 (19%), whereas CRP and body fat jointly explained the variance in C3 (25%). All these observations were independent of HOMA-IR.
Conclusions:
These findings support the key role of CRF and fatness on low-grade inflammation, as well as the possible indirect role of habitual PA through CRF and body fat in adolescents.
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Acknowledgements
This study was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (DEP2006-56184-C03-02/PREV and AP2006-02464). We thank the adolescents and their parents who participated in this study.
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Appendix
Appendix
Study coordinator: A. Marcos.
Sub-study coordinators: ME Calle, A Villagra A Marcos.
Sub-study-1: ME Calle, E Regidor, D Martínez-Hernández, Esteban-Gonzalo L. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid E-28040, Spain.
Sub-study-2: A Villagra, OL Veiga, J del-Campo, JM Moya, D Martínez-Gómez, B Zapatera. Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain.
Sub-study-3: A Marcos, S Gómez-Martínez, E Nova, J Wärnberg, J Romeo, LE Diaz, T Pozo, MA Puertollano, D Martínez-Gómez, B Zapatera, A Veses. Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Instituto del Frio, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid E-28040, Spain.
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Martinez-Gomez, D., Eisenmann, J., Wärnberg, J. et al. Associations of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness with low-grade inflammation in adolescents: the AFINOS Study. Int J Obes 34, 1501–1507 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.114
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