moderate and vigorous physical activity from childhood onwards is especially crucial in preventing heart diseases.
In a joint research project conducted by the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä and the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland, it was found that engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity from childhood is particularly crucial for preventing heart diseases. The study tracked sedentary behavior and physical activity levels in children from childhood to adolescence over an eight-year period. The results revealed that adolescents who had high levels of sedentary behavior and low levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity since childhood had a higher cardiac workload in adolescence. This highlights the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle from a young age to promote heart health.High levels of sedentary behavior and low levels of physical activity were linked to higher body fat percentage, particularly in adolescents with low levels of vigorous physical activity. The study also found that sedentary behavior and physical activity levels were connected to cardiac workload, with body fat percentage playing a role in this association. Light physical activity, on the other hand, did not have an impact on cardiac workload. These findings underscore the significance of promoting physical activity, particularly moderate and vigorous activity, reducing sedentary behavior, and preventing childhood overweight to lower the risk of heart diseases. The researchers emphasized the importance of these measures for youth.According to Dr. Eero Haapala from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, adolescents spend around nine to ten hours per day being inactive. Only one in ten of them manage to get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, which is concerning. Haapala stresses that it is important for children and adolescents to have high levels of physical activity as it can improve heart health and overall well-being. This information is based on the ongoing Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study conducted at the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland.The Journal of the American Heart Association published a study that followed 153 adolescents in Finland for eight years, tracking their sedentary behavior and physical activity levels from childhood to adolescence. In adolescence, heart function and strain were measured.
