Daily exercise in school had positive effect on CV health in students of lower socioeconomic strata

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2009

The addition of an exercise program in school significantly increased physical fitness levels in adolescents from lower socio-economic backgrounds, according to data presented today.

“Significant differences were found between students with a lower socioeconomic background and students from a higher socioeconomic background concerning BMI, fat-free mass and cardiorespiratory fitness,” Claudia Walther, MD, of the department of cardiology of the University of Leipzig Heart Center in Germany, said during a press conference.

In the prospective, randomized study, researchers from Germany set out to assess whether additional exercise lessons in high school affected peak oxygen uptake, BMI, coordinative abilities, circulating progenitor cells and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in 182 children an average age of 11 years.

Children were randomly assigned to an intervention group that included daily exercise in school for one year (n=109) or a control group that included regular school sports twice-weekly (n=73).

There was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obese children included in the intervention group (12.8% vs. 7.3%). Daily exercise for one year did not significantly affect BMI (95% CI, -0.28 to 0.13) however a significant increase in fat-free mass was found in children from a lower socioeconomic background.

Further, exercise capacity measured by oxygen consumption significantly increased in children of the lower socioeconomic background, but not in children of a higher socioeconomic background (5.7 vs. -1.26).

Change in heart rate and BP was not statistically significant at rest in either group.

“The long-term influence on future cardiovascular risk should be investigated in further studies,” she concluded. – by Jennifer Southall

Walther C. #1302. Presented at: American Heart Association 2009 Scientific Session; Nov.14-18, 2009; Orlando, Fla.