Background/Purpose: The relationships between physical inactivity time and the health outcomes of active children are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk of high triglycerides, low HDL, and being overweight associated with both screentime and minutes spent physically inactive (MPIA) among U.S. active children.
Method: Data for this study came from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 961 children ages 6 to 17 years that averaged at least 60 min of moderate and/or vigorous physical activity were included in the analysis. Screentime was determined by self-report questionnaire, and included hours spent in front of computer and television. MPIA was assessed using the ActiGraph AM-7164 accelerometer using the cut-point of < 100 cts/min. Cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) was determined by meeting high risk criteria for triglycerides (> 100 mg/dL), HDL cholesterol (< 40 mg/dL), and overweight (> 25 kg/m2 age adjusted BMI).
Analysis/Results: Both physical inactivity measures were converted to quartiles for analyses. The SAS 9.1 SURVEYLOGISTIC procedure was used for all analyses. Children in the highest quartile of screentime had the greatest odds of triglycerides risk (OR=1.37, 95% CI: 0.43-4.40) and for overweight (OR=3.08, 95% CI: 1.76-5.37), (p for trend < .001). Children in the highest quartile of MPIA had the greatest odds of triglyceride risk (OR=3.17, 95% CI: 0.41-24.83).
Conclusions: The current study found that time spent physically inactive increases the risk of some CVD risk factors among U.S. active children.