Skip to main content

Sedentary Time in Childhood Tied to High Cholesterol in Adulthood

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 22, 2023.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Dec. 22, 2023 -- Sedentary time during childhood is tied to worse lipid profiles in young adulthood, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Andrew O. Agbaje, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, examined the associations of sedentary time, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) from childhood through young adulthood with lipid levels. The analysis included 792 children (age 11 years) participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children U.K. birth cohort followed for up to 13 years.

The findings showed that total fat mass partly mediated the inverse associations of LPA (by 13 percent for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, by 28 percent for triglyceride, and by 6 percent for total cholesterol). Inverse associations of MVPA with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were mediated by total fat mass by 37 and 48 percent, respectively, attenuating the effect on total cholesterol to nonsignificance. Higher MVPA at age 15 years was associated with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 24 years but not vice versa.

"Engaging in light physical activity for three to four hours/day may be an effective way to reduce high cholesterol and avoid heart health issues later in life," Agbaje said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted December 2023

Read this next

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Diseases Set to Increase

THURSDAY, June 6, 2024 -- The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases will increase through 2050, and the associated economic burden is also projected to increase...

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Linked to Lower Risk for Mortality

TUESDAY, June 4, 2024 -- Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality, which is partly explained by multiple cardiometabolic...

Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer Tied to Lower Risk for Cardiovascular Events

TUESDAY, June 4, 2024 -- Patients with gastric cancer who undergo gastrectomy have a lower risk for cardiovascular events than the general population, according to a study...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.