Physical activity attenuates metabolic risk of adolescents with overweight or obesity: the ICAD multi-country study

Background Although the benefits of physical activity (PA) at an early age are well established, there is no robust evidence
of the role of PA as well as its intensities in attenuating the association between weight status and metabolic risk among
adolescents. In this investigation, we analyzed the association between weight status, intensities of PA, and metabolic risk
among adolescents.
Methods Data from six cross-sectional studies in the International Children’s Accelerometry Database were used (N = 5216
adolescents; boys 14.6 ± 2.1 years and girls 14.7 ± 2.0 years). Weight status was assessed and classified according to body
mass index. Fasting glucose, triglycerides, inverse high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure composed the
metabolic risk indicator (z-score). PA was measured by accelerometers. The estimated age of peak height velocity was used
as a covariate for somatic maturation.
Results We observed that increase in weight status showed a strong positive relationship with metabolic risk. However,
adolescents with overweight or obesity in the highest tertile of PA (moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous intensity) showed a
similar metabolic risk score as the normal weight groups. Moderate intensity PA seemed related to metabolic risk even
within some categories of vigorous PA.
Conclusions We conclude that PA attenuates the metabolic risk of adolescents with overweight or obesity. Although this
attenuation is largely explained by vigorous PA, moderate intensity seems also important for better metabolic profile.