Study: Children who go to school walk less prone to obesity
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Children who walk regularly or go to school are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who travel by car or public transport, according to the American Medical Center "MedicalXpress".
Based on the results of more than 2,000 elementary school students across London, researchers found walking or biking to school was a strong indicator of obesity levels, a result that was consistent across neighborhoods and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This study, led by researchers from the University of Cambridge, is the first to assess the impact of physical activity on overweight and childhood obesity in primary school children by linking extracurricular physical activity.
Instead of using body mass index (BMI)BMI) As a measure of obesity, the researchers measured body fat and muscle mass and assessed their association with levels of physical activity.
"BMI is still a flawed way to measure the health risks associated with obesity," said Dr. Lander Bush, a candidate at the Cambridge Department of Geography and author of the first study.
To substantiate the results of the study, researchers analyzed data for more than 2,000 children. Nearly half of the children participated in sports every day, and the activity was examined at school, such as walking, or with a large bike or scooter.
The researchers found that children who move actively to school suffer from low body fat and are therefore less likely to be overweight or obese.
Looking at fat mass and muscle mass separately, children who exercise every day have significantly more muscle growth, while their fat mass is not significantly different.
The relationship between levels of obesity and different types of physical activity should be understood in order to develop informed policy measures that could contribute to reversing the epidemic of childhood obesity, the researchers said.
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