Evaluation of recreational physical activity correlation and influence on lipid fractions in school children: YUSAD study; [Valutazione della correlazione tra l'rattività sportiva e la sua influenza sulla frazione lipidica in ragazzi in età scolare: Studio YUSAD]

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate correlation and influence of recreational physical activity during 10 years of follow-up on four types of lipid fractions in school children of the YUSAD study. Methods. School children from Serbia were evaluated on three different occasions when they were 10, 15 and 19/20 years of age, respectively. Four types of lipid fractions, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL, were separately evaluated in physically active boys and girls. Results. We evaluated 1172 children when they were 10 years of age, 870 children when they were 15 and 1230 children when they were 19/20. All children were from the same population. Our results pointed out that there is no linear correlation between the two evaluated variables: physical activity and lipid fractions. However there is a very weak positive or negative correlation of coherence regarding recreational physical activity and the four types of evaluated lipid fractions. Conclusion. Since this period of growth is very specific for metabolic processes that can influence variations of evaluated parameters, such investigation can give us additional knowledge and further directions that could lead to better understanding the correlation of different risk factors on the atherosclerosis development.