Abstract
Background and aimsThe associations between aerobic fitness and traditional measures of lipid metabolism in children are uncertain. We investigated whether higher levels of aerobic fitness benefit lipoprotein metabolism by exploring associations with a comprehensive lipoprotein particle profile. MethodsIn our prospective cohort study, we used targeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy to profile 57 measures of lipoprotein metabolism from fasting serum samples of 858 fifth-grade Norwegian schoolchildren (49.0% girls; mean age 10.0 years). Aerobic fitness was measured using an intermittent shuttle run aerobic fitness test. We used multiple linear regression adjusted for potential confounders to examine cross-sectional and prospective associations between aerobic fitness and lipoprotein particle profile. ResultsHigher levels of aerobic fitness were associated with a favourable lipoprotein particle profile in the cross-sectional analysis, which included inverse associations with all measures of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles (e.g., −0.06 mmol·L−1 or –0.23 SD units; 95% CI = −0.31, −0.16 for VLDL cholesterol concentration). In the prospective analysis, the favourable pattern of associations persisted, though the individual associations tended to be more consistent with those of the cross-sectional analysis for the VLDL subclass measures compared to the low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins. Adjustment for adiposity attenuated the associations in both cross-sectional and prospective models. Nevertheless, an independent effect of aerobic fitness remained for some measures. ConclusionsImproving children's aerobic fitness levels should benefit lipoprotein metabolism, though a concomitant reduction in adiposity would likely potentiate this effect.
Highlights
Higher levels of aerobic fitness in young adulthood are beneficially associated with a number of health outcomes in later life, including allcause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]
Associations tended to be stronger with measures of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and particle triglycerides concentrations in prospective analyses, which may indicate a greater impact of aerobic fitness on these classes and lipids
Higher levels of aerobic fitness are prospectively associated with a favourable lipoprotein particle profile in our cohort of healthy, Norwegian schoolchildren
Summary
Higher levels of aerobic fitness in young adulthood are beneficially associated with a number of health outcomes in later life, including allcause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]. The tradi tional clinical markers are limited in that they quantify a certain few lipoprotein lipid concentrations and provide no information on particle size or particle number, the latter of which is increasingly recognised as potentially the primary causative factor in atherogenesis, not the lipid load [4] Nor can these measures demonstrate divergent directions of associations among lipoprotein subclasses, such as those observed for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclass concentrations with long-term leisure-time physical activity, adiposity, and risk of ischaemic stroke [5,6,7]. Results: Higher levels of aerobic fitness were associated with a favourable lipoprotein particle profile in the crosssectional analysis, which included inverse associations with all measures of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles (e.g., − 0.06 mmol⋅L− 1 or –0.23 SD units; 95% CI = − 0.31, − 0.16 for VLDL cholesterol concentration). Conclusions: Improving children’s aerobic fitness levels should benefit lipoprotein metabolism, though a concomitant reduction in adiposity would likely potentiate this effect
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