Study: Being active even at three years can have a positive effect on heart health later in life | Life

TORONTO, June 11 – A new Canadian study found that staying active during childhood, even at the age of three, may help improve cardiovascular health later in life.

Conducted by researchers from McMaster University, the new study looked at 418 children ages three to five.

The team badyzed the child's cardiovascular fitness, arterial stiffness and blood pressure for three years each year and asked him to wear an accelerometer around the waist one week a year to track his level of physical activity.

The results, published in the journal pediatrics, showed that even at age three, physical activity had a positive effect on the health of blood vessels and cardiovascular health of children, two key factors in the prevention of heart disease in adults, researchers observing that if the arteries stiffen over time, the process is slower. young children who were more active.

Positive effects were observed for both boys and girls, although physical activity appeared to have a positive influence on girls only.

The study is the first to show that physical activity can improve the health of blood vessels in preschool children. The study's lead author, Nicole Proudfoot, said, "Many of us tend to think that cardiovascular disease affects older people, but when we are very young. "

"It's important to start early any kind of preventive measures. We need to ensure that young children have plenty of opportunities to be active to keep their heart and blood vessels as healthy as possible, "she added.

In addition, more active children could also run longer on the treadmill, suggesting that they had better cardiovascular health and that their heart rate also decreased faster after exercise.

More intense physical activity also seemed to bring greater benefits.

"This research suggests that intensity matters," says Brian Timmons, an badociate professor who oversaw the research.

"Kids get the most out of energetic games, which means they try to run out of steam playing games like tag. And the more there is, the better. "

Timmons adds that it's not necessary for physical activity to occur at one time and that it's important to stay active all day long. – AFP-Relaxnews