Study finds childhood fitness reduces long-term cardiovascular risks of childhood obesity

A new study from a group of international researchers has identified a potentially effective tool to reduce the long-term health risks of childhood obesity-aerobic exercise.

In a study published in the early online addition of the International Journal of Obesity, researchers at the University of Georgia, the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Hobart, Australia, and the George Institute for Global Health at Oxford University found that higher aerobic fitness in childhood, independent of abdominal fat, reduced the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in early adulthood by 36 percent compared to those with lower childhood fitness levels.

“While a number of studies have found that higher levels of aerobic fitness can substantially reduce the cardiovascular disease risks associated with adult obesity, few studies have looked to see whether this might also be true regarding childhood obesity” said the study’s lead author Michael Schmidt, an associate professor in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology.

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The most recent issue of UGA’s Research magazine also features a story about Schmidt’s research.