• Eero Kajantie, Sonja Strang-Karlsson, Petteri Hovi, Katri Räikkönen, Anu-Katriina Pesonen, Kati Heinonen, Anna-Liisa Järvenpää, Johan G Eriksson, and Sture Andersson.
• National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, Helsinki, Finland. eero.kajantie@helsinki.fi
• J. Pediatr. 2010 Oct 1; 157 (4): 610-6, 616.e1.

ObjectiveTo study the effects of very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) birth on physical activity, an important protective and modifiable factor.Study DesignVLBW participants (n=163) with no major disability and 188 individuals born at term (mean age, 22.3 years; range, 18.5-27.1) completed a standardized questionnaire of physical activity.ResultsVLBW participants reported less leisure-time conditioning physical activity. They were 1.61-fold more likely to "not exercise much," 1.61-fold more likely to exercise infrequently (once a week or less), 2.75-fold more likely to exercise with low intensity (walking), and 3.11-fold more likely to have short exercise sessions (<30 minutes). The differences were present even in subjects with no history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or asthma and were only slightly attenuated when adjusted for height, parental education, lean body mass, and percent body fat.ConclusionsUnimpaired adults who were VLBW exercise less during their leisure time than adults born at term. Promoting physical activity may be particularly important in the VLBW population to counteract the risks of chronic disease in adult life.Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

14 keywords...

hide…