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  • Pediatric Brief Communication
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Cardiovascular fitness and physical activity in children with and without impaired glucose tolerance

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 45–49 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To examine differences in cardiovascular fitness (VO2max) and physical activity levels in overweight Hispanic children with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) vs impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Participants:

A total of 173 overweight (BMI percentile 97.0±3.1) Hispanic children ages 8–13 years with a family history of type 2 diabetes.

Methods:

VO2max was measured via a maximal effort treadmill test and open circuit spirometry. Physical activity was determined by questionnaire. Glucose tolerance was established by a 2-h oral glucose challenge (1.75 g of glucose/kg body weight). IGT was defined from an oral glucose tolerance test as a 2-h plasma glucose level ⩾140 and <200 mg/dl.

Results:

IGT was detected in 46 of the 173 participants (∼27%); no cases of type 2 diabetes were identified. No significant differences were found between youth with NGT and those with IGT in absolute VO2max (2.2±0.6 vs 2.1±0.5 l/min), VO2max adjusted for gender, age, and body composition (2.2±0.2 vs 2.1±0.2 l/min), or recreational physical activity levels (8.7±8.2 vs 6.9±6.2 h/week).

Conclusion:

Overweight Hispanic youth with IGT exhibit similar levels of VO2max and physical activity compared to their NGT counterparts. Longitudinal analyses are necessary to determine whether fitness/activity measures contribute significantly to diabetes risk over time in this group.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the project coordinator, Quintilia Avila, and to the nurses and nutrition staff at the USC-GCRC. Additionally, we express our gratitude to the children and their families for making this study possible. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant R01 DK 59211 and by GCRC, National Center for Research Resources, Grant M01 RR 00043.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    G Q Shaibi & G J Salem

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    G D C Ball

  3. Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    M L Cruz & M I Goran

  4. Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    M J Weigensberg

  5. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    M I Goran

Authors
  1. G Q Shaibi
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  2. G D C Ball
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  3. M L Cruz
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  4. M J Weigensberg
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  5. G J Salem
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  6. M I Goran
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M I Goran.

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Shaibi, G., Ball, G., Cruz, M. et al. Cardiovascular fitness and physical activity in children with and without impaired glucose tolerance. Int J Obes 30, 45–49 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803171

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