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Influence of physical fitness and activity behavior on retinal vessel diameters in primary schoolchildren.
Journal article

Influence of physical fitness and activity behavior on retinal vessel diameters in primary schoolchildren.

  • Imhof K Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
  • Zahner L Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
  • Schmidt-Trucksäss A Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
  • Faude O Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
  • Hanssen H Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
  • 2015-06-25
Published in:
  • Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports. - 2016
Cardiovascular disease prevention
childhood risk factors
exercise performance
retinal microcirculation
Anthropometry
Body Mass Index
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise
Exercise Test
Female
Humans
Male
Microcirculation
Microvessels
Organ Size
Physical Fitness
Retinal Vessels
Sedentary Behavior
English Retinal vessel alterations have been shown to be associated with cardiovascular risk factors and physical inactivity as early as childhood. In this context, the analysis of physical activity in children has solely been based on questionnaire assessments. The study aimed to examine the association of physical fitness performance and self-reported physical activity with retinal vessel diameters in young children. Three hundred ninety-one primary schoolchildren [7.3 years (SD 0.4)] were examined in this cross-sectional study. The primary outcome was endurance performance measured with the 20-m shuttle run. The additional tests consisted of a 20-m sprint, jumping sidewards and balancing backwards. Retinal microcirculation was assessed using a static retinal vessel analyzer. Parents completed questionnaires about physical and sedentary activities. Endurance performance was associated with narrower retinal venular diameters [-0.9 (95%CI: -1.8; -0.1) measuring units (mu)/ unit shuttle run, P = 0.04] and a higher arteriolar to venular ratio [0.003 (-0.001; 0.006)/unit shuttle run, P = 0.06]. The sprint performance was associated with narrower retinal arterioles [4.7 (0.8; 8.6) mu/unit sprint, P = 0.02]. Indoor playing activity correlated with narrower retinal venules [-0.04 (-0.07; -0.01) mu/per unit, P = 0.02]. Our data suggest that objectively measured endurance performance relates with better retinal vessel health in early childhood.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/92687
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