Study, Health News, AND HealthWorld

Toronto: According to one study, physical activity during early childhood could have an impact on cardiovascular health later in life.

Published in the journal Pediatrics, the study found that physical activity in three-year-old toddlers was beneficial for blood vessel health, cardiovascular health, and the prevention of early risk indicators that could lead to heart disease. 'adult.

"Many of us tend to think that cardiovascular disease strikes older people, but arteries begin to stiffen at a very young age," said lead author of the study. , Nicole Proudfoot, from McMaster University in Canada.

"It's important to start early any kind of preventative measures, we need to ensure that young children have plenty of opportunities to stay active to keep their heart and blood vessels as healthy as possible," said Proudfoot.

For the study, more than 400 children aged three to five years were involved. Over the course of three years, researchers measured and analyzed the main indicators of cardiovascular health: cardiovascular fitness, arterial stiffness and blood pressure.

The researchers calculated cardiovascular fitness by measuring a child's life span on a treadmill test and the rate at which his heart rate recovered after exercise.

They measured arterial stiffness at the rate at which their pulse was passing through their body and used ultrasound images to measure the rigidity of the carotid artery. They also measured blood pressure.

The research team tracked physical activity each year by asking children to wear an accelerometer around the waist for a week, which allowed researchers to determine the amount and intensity of their activities every day.

The researchers determined that although the arteries stiffen over time, the process is slower in younger, more active children.

These children also showed more stamina on the treadmill, suggesting that they had better cardiovascular health and that their heart rate decreased faster after exercise.

Although the study showed that overall physical activity had favorable effects on cardiovascular health, more intense physical activity was more beneficial.