Do body mass index, blood pressure and physical fitness influence arterial stiffness early in life? The ExAMIN Youth study

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is a cardiovascular risk factor. Arterial stiffness is influenced by parameters, such as body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP). One of the main aims of the ExAMIN Youth study is to investigate if there is an association between arterial stiffness, BMI, BP and physical fitness in young children.Methods: Pulse wave velocity (PWV; oscillometric device) was measured in 553 children aged 6 to 8 years (51% female). Furthermore, the children’s BMI was calculated, their BP was measured with an automatic oszillograph and a 20-meter shuttle run test was performed to measure their cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).Results: Overweight (PWV: 4.60 m/s) and obese (4.76 m/s) children had significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to those of normal weight (4.39 m/s). Similar results were observed for prehypertensive (4.54 m/s) and hypertensive (4.64 m/s) children in comparison to normotensive children (4.37 m/s). Furthermore, a significant increase of arterial stiffness per unit increase of BMI (0.028 m/s) and BP (0.028 m/s) was measured. Additionally, a decrease of arterial stiffness per unit increase of shuttles in the 20-meter shuttle run test (-0.002 m/s) was found, but this association is dependent on BMI and BP.Conclusion: Physical fitness negatively correlates to arterial stiffness, depending on BMI and BP. In addition, higher BMI and higher systolic BP are associated with increased arterial stiffness in young children. Since this association has already been observed in overweight and prehypertensive young children it seems important to intervene in early stages of obesity and hypertension.