Physical-activity trajectories during childhood and lung function at 15 years: findings from the ALSPAC cohort
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although physical activity has many known health benefits, its association with lung function in childhood/adolescence remains unclear. We examined the association of physical-activity trajectories between 11 and 15 years with lung function at 15 years in 2266 adolescents. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 14 305 singleton births alive at 1 year was recruited in the UK population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort. Physical activity (counts/minute and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) was assessed for 7 days using an accelerometer at 11, 13 and 15 years. We identified sex-specific physical-activity trajectories applying K-means for longitudinal data in children with at least two accelerometer measurements (n = 3584). We then estimated the sex-specific associations of these trajectories with post-bronchodilation lung-function parameters using multivariable linear-regression models (n = 2266, 45% boys). RESULTS: Fewer than 7% of participants met the WHO physical-activity recommendations (i.e. daily average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Boys were substantially more active than girls. In both sexes, we identified three distinct physical-activity trajectories ('low': 39.8% boys, 45.8% girls; 'moderate': 42.9% boys, 41.4% girls; and 'high' physical activity: 17.3% boys, 12.8% girls). Girls in the moderate and high physical-activity trajectories had 0.11 L [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.19] and 0.15 L (95% CI: 0.03-0.26) higher forced vital capacity than their less-active peers. No association was observed in boys. CONCLUSIONS: Higher childhood physical activity relates to higher lung-function levels in adolescent girls. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association should be pursued.
Date Issued
2020-02-01
Date Acceptance
2019-06-12
Citation
International Journal of Epidemiology, 2020, 49 (1), pp.131-141
ISSN
1464-3685
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Start Page
131
End Page
141
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Epidemiology
Volume
49
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association. 1
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/),
which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact
journals.permissions@oup.com
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/),
which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact
journals.permissions@oup.com
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31270549
PII: 5528004
Grant Number
633212
Subjects
ALSPAC
children
moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
respiratory health
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2019-07-03