Highlights
- Keeping fit early on in life can decrease the risk of chronic lung disease in adulthood.
- Children who are physically fit go on to have better lung function as young adults.
- Fitter people have better respiratory muscle strength as well as other muscle strength.
"This study shows that children who are physically fit go on to have better lung function as young adults. We think that this could reduce the risk of them developing chronic lung diseases as they get older."
The research included a total of 2,406 children, combining a study of 1,037 children in Dunedin, New Zealand, and the second group of 1,369 in Odense, Denmark. These two groups represent the largest published studies that have objectively measured fitness and lung function through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.
In the Odense group, aerobic fitness was tested at ages 9, 15, 21 and 29 using an exercise bike to see how much exercise each person could do before they were exhausted. The Dunedin Study used a cycling test at ages 15, 26, 32, and 38 to estimate fitness from the heart rate response to exercise. Lung function tests were done at the same ages in both studies.
The results show that fitter children had better lung function and the more their fitness improved during childhood, the greater their lung capacity when they reached adulthood. The link between lung function and fitness remained after the researchers took account of factors such as height, weight, asthma, and smoking. The results also showed a stronger effect in boys than girls.
The two studies are ongoing, and researchers hope to collect data on fitness and lung function as the participants get older. This will allow them to see if the effect of childhood fitness on lung function persists, and whether fitness can indeed protect against lung disease.
Thierry Troosters, President-elect of the European Respiratory Society and Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, said: "This paper provides further support for encouraging active children and adolescents, which is supported by most health authorities and our Healthy Lungs for Life campaign. Regular exercise, particularly in clean air, is an important factor to maximize lung growth, alongside avoiding second-hand smoke and eating a healthy diet”.
"The better your peak lung function, the better you're protected against lung aging in later life. It seems that regular sports in childhood and adolescence, ensuring the development of peak exercise capacity, maybe your lung-insurance for later "explained Professor Troosters.
Reference
- Robert J. Hancox, Finn Rasmussen. Does physical fitness enhance lung function in children and young adults?, European Respiratory Journal (2018).DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01374-2017
Source-Eurekalert