Relationship between aerobic fitness and cardiometabolic disease risk in South African children

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the aerobic capacity (VO2 peak) and cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk in South African children and adolescents.A total of 1361 (boys: N.= 678; girls: N.=683) primary school children (Mean age: 10.9±1.28 years), whose parents gave signed informed consent, participated in the study. Anthropometric (height, weight, circumference of the hip and waist), physiological [systolic blood pressure (SBP); diastolic blood pressure (DBP)], and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) [(20-meters Multistage Shuttle Run (MSR)] measurements were taken using standardised protocols. To examine the relationship between aerobic fitness and CMD risk factors, bivariate correlation analysis was undertaken.