A recent study indicates that spending more than six hours a day sitting during the transition from childhood to young adulthood can lead to an additional increase in systolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg. Engaging in light physical activity (LPA) can significantly counteract this rise in blood pressure. This research was a collaborative effort between the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in the UK and the University of Eastern Finland, and the findings were published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.
In this study, a group of 2,513 children from the University of Bristol’s Children of the 90s cohort was tracked from the age of 11 until they reached 24 years old. Initially, these children were sedentary for about six hours daily, engaged in LPA for another six hours, and spent about 55 minutes on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). By the time they reached young adulthood, their sedentary time increased to nine hours, while their LPA dropped to three hours and MVPA averaged 50 minutes each day.
During childhood, the average blood pressure among participants was 106/56 mmHg, which climbed to 117/67 mmHg by young adulthood due to normal growth changes. The increase in sedentary behavior overall from ages 11 to 24 was linked to an additional 4 mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure. However, consistent participation in LPA from childhood helped reduce this final average by 3 mmHg, while MVPA did not have a significant impact on lowering blood pressure.
“Additionally, a simulation showed that if 10 minutes of sedentary time per hour was replaced with the equivalent amount of LPA from childhood through young adulthood, systolic blood pressure could drop by 3 mmHg, and diastolic pressure by 2 mmHg. This is important, as a previous study indicated that a 5 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure can reduce heart attack and stroke risks by 10 percent,” says Andrew Agbaje, a distinguished physician and associate professor at the University of Eastern Finland.
This study is recognized as the largest and longest investigation tracking movement behaviors and blood pressure changes in youth worldwide. Blood pressure measurements, sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA were taken at ages 11, 15, and 24. The study also involved analyzing blood samples to monitor levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Factors such as heart rate, socio-economic status, family history of cardiovascular issues, smoking habits, along with fat and lean mass measured through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were included in the analysis.
“Previous studies have indicated that high blood pressure and hypertension during adolescence can lead to early heart damage in young adults. Identifying childhood inactivity as a contributor to elevated blood pressure, with LPA as a viable solution, is clinically and publicly significant. Many randomized controlled trials focusing on MVPA in youth have failed to yield significant improvements in blood pressure. We found that increased muscle mass from MVPA resulted in a naturally elevated blood pressure, which may explain the lack of success in those trials,” Agbaje explains.
“According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, an expected 500 million new cases of diseases linked to physical inactivity will arise, with half predicted to be due to hypertension. Engaging in at least three hours of LPA daily is crucial for preventing and reducing high blood pressure and hypertension. Activities classified as LPA include walking, household chores, swimming, and cycling. It is vital for parents, pediatricians, and policymakers to motivate children and teenagers to participate in LPA to maintain healthy blood pressure levels,” Agbaje concludes.
Agbaje’s research group, known as urFIT-child, receives financial support from various research grants, including those from the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation Central Fund and North Savo Regional Fund, the Orion Research Foundation, the Aarne Koskelo Foundation, the Antti and Tyyne Soininen Foundation, the Paulo Foundation, the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, the Ida Montin Foundation, the Eino Räsänen Fund, the Matti and Vappu Maukonen Fund, the Foundation for Pediatric Research, the Alfred Kordelin Foundation, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
