Recent study results have warned that inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle leaning towards sitting may increase anxiety levels threefold among teenagers compared to moderate to vigorous physical activity, which in turn affects heart structure and function.
According to "Science Daily," recent reports from the World Health Organization indicate that more than 80% of adolescents worldwide do not engage in sufficient physical activity daily.
The study was conducted in collaboration between the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter in the UK and the University of Eastern Finland. It aimed to understand the impact of sedentary time and physical activity on heart structure and function among teenagers, as there is a scarcity of data measuring movement behavior and cardiac imaging in this demographic.
The study included 530 adolescents aged 17, who had complete measurements for fat mass, muscle mass, glucose, and lipids. It was observed that sedentary time and moderate to vigorous physical activity were associated with increased left ventricular mass. However, the increase in heart mass associated with sedentary time (3.8 grams/m²) was three times higher than the increase in heart mass (1.2 grams/m²) associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity.
