Sedentary Behavior, Adiposity, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents. The AFINOS Study

Introduction and objectivesTo investigate the association between objective measures of sedentary behavior and cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) in adolescents. A secondary aim was to evaluate the degree of association between overall and abdominal adiposity and CRFs.MethodsThis cross-sectional study involved 210 adolescents aged 13–17 years. Measurements were made of the sum of the skinfold thicknesses at 6 locations (sum6), waist circumference (WC), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoproteins A-1 and B-100. A CRF score was calculated from the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and TG, HDL-C, and glucose levels. Sedentary behavior was assessed over 7 days using an accelerometer. Participants were divided into tertiles according to sedentary behavior and into low and high levels of overall (sum6) and abdominal (WC) adiposity.ResultsAdolescents with a high level of sedentary behavior had less favorable SBP, TG and glucose levels, and CRF scores. Adolescents with a high level of overall adiposity demonstrated significant differences in 5 of the 11 variables analyzed (ie, DBP, LDL-C, TC, apolipoprotein B-100, and CRF score), while adolescents with a high level of abdominal adiposity had differences in 8 (ie, SBP, MAP, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, TC, apolipoprotein B-100, and CRF score). Adolescents with high levels of both overall and abdominal adiposity and sedentary behavior had the least favorable CRF scores.ConclusionsSedentary behavior was associated with CRFs in adolescents, especially in obese adolescents. Abdominal adiposity seemed to play a more significant role in the development of CRFs than overall adiposity.

Introducción y objetivosExaminar las asociaciones entre sedentarismo medido de forma objetiva y los factores de riesgo cardiovascular (RC). Un objetivo secundario fue evaluar el grado de asociación entre adiposidad general y abdominal con factores de RC.MétodosDoscientos diez adolescentes, de 13-17 años, participaron en este estudio transversal. Se midió la suma de seis pliegues (sum6), perímetro de cintura (PC), presión arterial sistólica (PAS) y diastólica (PAD), glucosa, colesterol total (CT), triglicéridos (TG), colesterol de las lipoproteínas de alta (cHDL) y baja densidad (cLDL), apolipoproteinas A-1 y B-100. Se calculó un índice de RC (IRC) usando presión arterial media (PAM), TG, cHDL y glucosa. El sedentarismo se valoró con acelerómetro durante 7 días. Se dividió a los participantes en terciles de sedentarismo, y en niveles de baja-alta adiposidad general (sum6) y abdominal (PC).ResultadosLos adolescentes con niveles altos de sedentarismo tuvieron valores menos favorables de PAS, TG, glucosa e IRC. Los adolescentes con mayor nivel de adiposidad general mostraron diferencias significativas en cinco de once factores analizados (PAD, cLDL, CT, apolipoproteina B-100 e IRC), mientras que los adolescentes con más adiposidad abdominal tuvieron diferencias en ocho factores (PAS, TAM, cHDL, cLDL, TG, CT, apolipoproteinas B-100 e IRC). Los adolescentes con mayor adiposidad general y abdominal, y con niveles altos de sedentarismo mostraron un IRC menos favorable.ConclusionesEl sedentarismo está asociado con factores de RC en adolescentes, especialmente en los adolescentes obesos. La adiposidad abdominal parece ser más importante en el desarrollo de factores de RC que la adiposidad general.