Physical-activity trajectories during childhood and lung function at 15 years: Findings from the ALSPAC cohort

Roda, C., Mahmoud, O. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0342-6704, Peralta, G.P., Fuertes, E., Granell, R., Serra, I., Henderson, J., Jarvis, D. and Garcia-Aymerich, J. (2020) Physical-activity trajectories during childhood and lung function at 15 years: Findings from the ALSPAC cohort. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49 (1). pp. 131-141. ISSN 0300-5771

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Abstract

Background: Although physical activity has many known health benefits, its association with lung function in childhood/adolescence remains unclear. We examined the association of physical-activity trajectories between 11 and 15 years with lung function at 15 years in 2266 adolescents.  Methods: A population-based cohort of 14 305 singleton births alive at 1 year was recruited in the UK population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort. Physical activity (counts/minute and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) was assessed for 7 days using an accelerometer at 11, 13 and 15 years. We identified sex-specific physical-activity trajectories applying K-means for longitudinal data in children with at least two accelerometer measurements (n = 3584). We then estimated the sex-specific associations of these trajectories with post-bronchodilation lung-function parameters using multivariable linear-regression models (n = 2266, 45% boys).  Results: Fewer than 7% of participants met the WHO physical-activity recommendations (i.e. daily average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Boys were substantially more active than girls. In both sexes, we identified three distinct physical-activity trajectories ('low': 39.8% boys, 45.8% girls; 'moderate': 42.9% boys, 41.4% girls; and 'high' physical activity: 17.3% boys, 12.8% girls). Girls in the moderate and high physical-activity trajectories had 0.11 L [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.19] and 0.15 L (95% CI: 0.03-0.26) higher forced vital capacity than their less-active peers. No association was observed in boys.  Conclusions: Higher childhood physical activity relates to higher lung-function levels in adolescent girls. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association should be pursued.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	alspac,children,moderate-to-vigorous physical activity,respiratory health,epidemiology,das to be completed ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2713
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Related URLs:	https://www.scopus.com/pages/publication...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	26 Oct 2026 10:33
Last Modified:	27 Oct 2026 07:38
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/104841
DOI:	10.1093/ije/dyz128

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