Time spent in sitting position compromises energy balance in young athletes

INTRODUCTION Lifestyle is closely related with health: a wrong lifestyle predisposes to an increase in fat mass, which in turn increases the risk of chronic diseases even in young age. Two aspects of lifestyle are physical activity level and eating habits. AIM The purpose of this study is to verify the lifestyle in young athletes. METHODS 152 young athletes (63 female and 89 male) aged from 8 to 18 years (13.4±2.5 yrs, height 159±14 cm) were enrolled. The assessment was composed by: - anthropometrics parameters (weight, BMI) in order to establish a normal weight (NW) or overweight/obese (O&O) condition; - body composition with skin fold thickness for fat mass and bio impedance for fat free mass and hydration status; - lifestyle analysis questionnaires, one about physical activity (IPAQ) and one about eating habits (INRAN). The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of variables. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare ordinal and non normally distributed continuous variables. Categorical data were analyzed by the X2 test of Fisher’s exact test. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS 19.7% of the subjects were O&O. A greater body fat (NW = 18.9±5.9%, O&O = 30.4±7.4%, p<0.001) and body water (NW = 32.0±7.7 l, O&O= 37.7±8.9 l, p=0.002) were found in O&O compared with NW athletes. Greater sedentary behaviors (NW = 523±89.3 min, O&O = 618±125 min, p <0.001) and a lower consumption of milk and yoghurt (NW = 6.9±4.1 times/week, O&O = 5.0 ± 3.2 times/week, p=0.031) were found in O&O. CONCLUSIONS Sport activity seems to be able to reduce, but does not exclude, the risk of accumulating body fat. It is therefore necessary to find primary prevention strategies to reduce the risk of not communicable chronic diseases in adulthood.