The association of adolescent fitness with cardiometabolic diseases in late adulthood: A 45-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the associations of adolescent cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular fitness (MF), and speed-agility fitness (SA) with middle-aged cardiometabolic disease risk and explore sex differences. Methods: This 45-year prospective cohort study examined the associations be- tween objectively measured fitness at adolescence (12–19 years) and physician- ascertained diabetes mellitus, elevated blood pressure (BP), and coronary heart disease reported either in early (37–44 years) or late (57–64 years) middle age, and self-measurement of waist circumference (WC) in late middle age. Fitness meas- urements for healthy adolescents in baseline included CRF (1.5 km [girls] and 2 km [boys] run), MF (standing broad jump, sit-ups, pull-ups [boys], and flexed- arm hang [girls]), and SA (50 m dash and 4 × 10 m shuttle run). Logistic regression and general linear models were adjusted for baseline age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), involving data from baseline and at least one follow-up measure- ment (N up to 1358, 47% males). Results: Adolescent CRF was inversely, and regardless of adiposity, associ- ated with middle age accumulated burden of cardiometabolic conditions in the whole sample (N = 562, ß = −0.10, 95% confidence intervals [CI] [−0.18, −0.03], p = 0.006), and elevated BP in females (N = 256, OR = 0.71, 95% CI [0.51, 0.91]). Overall, we observed stronger associations in females than in males. An inverse association of adolescent MF and SA with middle-aged WC was observed, but it did not show as consistent associations as with CRF. Conclusions: In this study, adolescent fitness, particularly CRF, was inversely as- sociated with the burden of cardiometabolic conditions up to 45 years. Promotion of fitness in youth may be beneficial in preventing adulthood cardiometabolic diseases.