Daily physical activity related to aerobic fitness and body fat in an urban sample of children

This study evaluates associations between objectively measured daily physical activity vs aerobic fitness and body fat in children aged 8-11 years. A cross-sectional study of 225 children aged 7.9-11.1 years was performed. Abdominal fat mass (AFM) and total body fat (TBF) were quantified by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. TBF was calculated as percentage of total body mass (BF%). Body fat distribution was calculated as AFM/TBF. Aerobic fitness was measured by indirect calorimetry during a maximal cycle ergometer exercise test. Daily physical activity was assessed by accelerometers for 4 days and daily accumulation of moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous activity was calculated. Significant relationships (P < 0.05) existed for vigorous activity vs ln BF% (r=-0.40), ln AFM (r=-0.35), TBF/AFM (r=-0.22) and aerobic fitness (r=0.38), whereas moderate-to-vigorous activity displayed weaker relationships (-0.22, -0.18, -0.12 NS, and 0.25). Multiple regression analyses with inclusion of possible confounders concluded that vigorous activity was independently related to aerobic fitness and ln BF% or ln AFM. Moderate-to-vigorous activity was only independently related to aerobic fitness. In this population, low daily accumulation of vigorous activity was, already in children aged 8-11 years, associated with more body fat and lower aerobic fitness. A similar relation was not found for daily accumulation of moderate-to-vigorous activity.