Children who lead a sedentary lifestyle are at risk of suffering vascular damage at a young age. The results of the research were published in the journal Acta Physiologica.
Scientists analyzed data from 1,339 children. Their health was monitored from ages 11 to 24. They wore activity measuring devices around their waists for 4 to 7 days at three time points: 11 years, 15 years and 24 years.
Increasing sitting time from six hours to nine hours a day resulted in increased arterial stiffness, which is considered a sign of age-related changes. As a result, some children developed serious vascular damage. Studies show that increased arterial stiffness increases the risk of premature death by 47%.
However, children who did light physical activity for at least three hours a day had normal blood vessels. At the same time, more intense physical activity slightly increased the stiffness of the arteries. However, this was associated with adaptation of the vessel wall due to increased muscle mass, meaning the risk of death was not increased.
Working out means children need at least three to four hours of light physical activity a day. Previous research has also shown that increased arterial stiffness is a risk factor for obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and early heart damage in childhood and adolescence.
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Source: Gazeta
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