Associations of physical activity and screen time with white matter microstructure in children from the general population

Physical activity and sedentary behaviors have been linked to a variety of general health benefits and problems. However, few studies have examined how physical activity during childhood is related to brain development, with the majority of work to date focusing on cardio-metabolic health. This study examines the association between physical activity and screen time with white matter microstructure in the general pediatric population. In a sample of 2532 children (10.12 +- 0.58 years; 50.04% boys) from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, we assessed physical activity and screen time using parent-reported questionnaires. Magnetic resonance imaging of white matter microstructure was conducted using diffusion tensor imaging. Total physical activity was positively associated with global fractional anisotropy (β = 0.057, 95% CI = 0.016, 0.098, p = 0.007) and negatively associated with global mean diffusivity (β= -0.079, 95% CI= -0.120, -0.038, p < 0.001), two commonly derived scalar measures of white matter microstructure. Two components of total physical activity, outdoor play and sport participation, were positively associated with global fractional anisotropy (β = 0.041, 95% CI=(0.000, 0.083), p = 0.047; β = 0.053, 95% CI=(0.010, 0.096), p = 0.015, respectively) and inversely associated with global mean diffusivity (β=-0.074, 95% CI= (-0.114, -0.033), p < 0.001; β=-0.043, 95% CI=(-0.086, 0.000), p = 0.049, respectively). No associations were observed between screen time and white matter microstructure (p > 0.05). This study provides new evidence that physical activity is modestly associated with white matter microstructure in children. In contrast, complementing other recent evidence on cognition, screen time was not associated with white matter microstructure. Causal inferences from these modest associations must be interpreted cautiously in the absence of longitudinal data. However, these data still offer a promising avenue for future work to explore to what extent physical activity may promote healthy white matter development.This study was supported by the Sophia Foundation (S18-20 awarded to RM) and Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) (project 016.VICI.170.200, awarded to HT and TOP 91211021, awarded to TW). Supercomputing resources were supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (Exacte Wetenschappen) and SURFsara (Cartesius Compute Cluster, www.surfsara.nl). The Generation R Study is conducted by the Erasmus Medical Center in close collaboration with the School of Law and the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Municipal Health Service Rotterdam area, and the Stichting Trombosedienst en Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond. The general design of the Generation R Study was made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, ZonMw, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the participating children and parents, general practitioners, hospitals, midwives, and pharmacies in Rotterdam. MRA received a scholarship from the University of Granada from the PhD International Mobility Program for a brief stay in the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam (The Netherlands). IEC is supported by a grant from the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation. This work is part of the María Rodriguez-Ayllon Ph.D. Thesis conducted in the Biomedicine Doctoral Studies of the University of Granada, Spain

Early life factors and white matter microstructure in children with overweight and obesity: The ActiveBrains project

This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, and DEP2017-91544-EXP), the European Regional Development Fund, the European Commission (No 667302) and the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation. This study was partially funded by the UGR Research and Knowledge Transfer Fund (PPIT) 2016, Excellence Actions Programme. Units of Scientific Excellence; Scientific Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES) and by the Regional Government of Andalusia, Regional Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Entreprises and University and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR. In addition, this study was further supported by the SAMID III network, RETICS, funded by the PN IthornDthornI 2017-2021 (Spain). Additional funding was obtained from the Andalusian Operational Programme supported with European Regional Development Funds (ERDF in English, FEDER in Spanish, project ref: B-CTS-355-UGR18). PS-U is supported by a grant from ANID/BECAS Chile/72180543. IE-C is supported by the Spanish Ministries of Economy and Competitiveness (RTI2018-095284-J-100), and Science and Innovation (RYC2019-027287-I). JV-R is supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FJCI-2017-33396). Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUA. We would like to thank all the families participating in the ActiveBrains. We are grateful to Ms. Ana Yara Postigo-Fuentes for her assistance with the English language. We also acknowledge everyone who helped with the data collection and all of the members involved in the fieldwork for their effort, enthusiasm, and support. This work is part of Ph.D. Thesis conducted in the Biomedicine Doctoral Studies of the University of Granada, Spain.Background & aims: Exposure to a suboptimal environment during the fetal and early infancy period's results in long-term consequences for brain morphology and function. We investigated the associations of early life factors such as anthropometric neonatal data (i.e., birth length, birth weight and birth head circumference) and breastfeeding practices (i.e., exclusive and any breastfeeding) with white matter (WM) microstructure, and ii) we tested whether WM tracts related to early life factors are associated with academic performance in children with overweight/obesity. Methods: 96 overweight/obese children (10.03 +/- 1.16 years; 38.7% girls) were included from the ActiveBrains Project. WM microstructure indicators used were fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), derived from Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Academic performance was evaluated with the Battery III Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement. Regression models were used to examine the associations of the early life factors with tract-specific FA and MD, as well as its association with academic performance. Results: Head circumference at birth was positively associated with FA of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus tract (0.441; p = 0.005), as well as negatively associated with MD of the cingulate gyrus part of cingulum (-0.470; p = 0.006), corticospinal (-0.457; p = 0.005) and superior thalamic radiation tract (-0.476; p = 0.001). Association of birth weight, birth length and exclusive breastfeeding with WM microstructure did not remain significant after false discovery rate correction. None tract related to birth head circumference was associated with academic performance (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our results highlighted the importance of the perinatal growth in WM microstructure later in life, although its possible academic implications remain inconclusive.Spanish Government DEP2013-47540 DEP2016-79512-R DEP2017-91544-EXPEuropean Commission European Commission European Commission Joint Research Centre 667302Alicia Koplowitz FoundationUGR Research and Knowledge Transfer Fund (PPIT) 2016, Excellence Actions ProgrammeEuropean Commission SOMM17/6107/UGRSAMID III network, RETICS - PN I+D+I 2017-2021 (Spain)Andalusian Operational Programme - European Regional Development Funds B-CTS-355-UGR18ANID/BECAS Chile 72180543Spanish Government RTI2018-095284-J-100 FJCI-2017-33396 RYC2019-027287-

Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects

The aims of this study were (i) to examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and white matter volume and test whether those associations differ between normal-weight and overweight/obese children (ii) to analyze the association between other physical fitness components (i.e., motor and muscular) and white matter volume, and (iii) to examine whether the fitness-related associations in white matter volume were related to academic performance. Data came from two independent projects: ActiveBrains project (n = 100; 10.0 1.1 years; 100% overweight/obese; Spain) and FITKids2 project (n = 242; 8.6 0.5 years; 36% overweight/obese, United States). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed in both projects, and motor and muscular fitness were assessed in the ActiveBrains project. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 T S Magnetom Tim Trio system. Academic performance was assessed by standardized tests. Cardiorespiratory fitness may positively relate to white matter volume in overweight/obese children, and in turn, academic performance. In addition, motor and muscular fitness may also influence white matter volume coupled with better academic performance. From a public health perspective, implementing exercise interventions that combine aerobic, motor and muscular training to enhance physical fitness may benefit brain development and academic successThe ActiveBrains study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DEP2013-47540, DEP2016- 79512-R, and PSI2012-3929). The FITKids2 study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (HD069381)

A fast feedback controlled magnetic drive for the ASDEX Upgrade fast-ion loss detectors

A magnetically driven fast-ion loss detector system for the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak has been designed and will be presented here. The device is feedback controlled to adapt the detector head position to the heat load and physics requirements. Dynamic simulations have been performed taking into account effects such as friction, coil self-induction, and eddy currents. A real time positioning control algorithm to maximize the detector operational window has been developed. This algorithm considers dynamical behavior and mechanical resistance as well as measured and predicted thermal loads. The mechanical design and real time predictive algorithm presented here may be used for other reciprocating systems.EURATOM 63305

Effects of an Exercise Program on Cardiometabolic and Mental Health in Children With Overweight or Obesity: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

This project was supported with grants DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP, and RYC-2011-09011 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) and by grant PID2020-120249RB-I00 from the MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033. Additional funding was obtained from the Andalusian Operational Programme supported with grant B-CTS-355-UGR18 from the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER in Spanish). Dr Cardenas-Sanchez is supported by grant FJC2018-037925-I from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and by a grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska Curie grant agreement No 101028929. Dr Migueles is supported by grant FPU15/02645 from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and grant 2012–00036 from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare. Dr Torres-Lopez is supported by grant FPU17/04802 from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Dr Rodriquez-Ayllon was funded by grant DEP2017-91544-EXP from the Ramón Areces Foundation. Additional support was obtained from grant ALICIAK-2018 from the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation, University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Unit of Excellence on Exercise, Nutrition and Health, the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades; and grant DEP2005-00046/ACTI from the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations. This research was supported by grant CB22/03/00058 from the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea–European Regional Development Fund.IMPORTANCE Childhood obesity is a risk factor associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders later in life. Investigation of the parallel effects of a defined exercise program on cardiometabolic and mental health in children with overweight or obesity may provide new insights on the potential benefits of exercise on overall health. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of a 20-week exercise program on cardiometabolic and mental health in children with overweight or obesity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This secondary analysis of a parallel-group randomized clinical trial was conducted in Granada, Spain, from November 1, 2014, to June 30, 2016. Data analyses were performed between February 1, 2020, and July 14, 2022. Children with overweight or obesity aged 8 to 11 years were eligible, and the study was performed in an out-of-school context. INTERVENTION The exercise program included 3 to 5 sessions/wk (90 min/session) of aerobic plus resistance training for 20 weeks. The wait-list control group continued with their usual routines. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cardiometabolic outcomes as specified in the trial protocol included body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and visceral adipose tissue), physical fitness (cardiorespiratory, speed-agility, and muscular), and traditional risk factors (waist circumference, blood lipid levels, glucose levels, insulin levels, and blood pressure). Cardiometabolic risk score (z score) was calculated based on age and sex reference values for levels of triglycerides, inverted high- density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose, the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. An additional cardiometabolic risk score also included cardiorespiratory fitness. Mental health outcomes included an array of psychological well-being and ill-being indicators. RESULTS The 92 participants included in the per-protocol analyses (36 girls [39%] and 56 boys [61%]) had a mean (SD) age of 10.0 (1.1) years. The exercise program reduced the cardiometabolic risk score by approximately 0.38 (95% CI, −0.74 to −0.02) SDs; decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level by −7.00 (95% CI, −14.27 to 0.37) mg/dL (to convert to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0259), body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) by −0.59 (95% CI, −1.06 to −0.12), fat mass index by −0.67 (95% CI, −1.01 to −0.33), and visceral adipose tissue by −31.44 (95% CI, −58.99 to −3.90) g; and improved cardiorespiratory fitness by 2.75 (95% CI, 0.22-5.28) laps in the exercise group compared with the control group. No effects were observed on mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, an aerobic plus resistance exercise program improved cardiometabolic health in children with overweight or obesity but had no effect on mental health.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP, and RYC-2011-09011Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033: PID2020-120249RB-I00Andalusian Operational Programme B-CTS-355-UGR18European Regional Development Fund (FEDER in Spanish)Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation FJC2018-037925-IEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme Marie Sklodowska Curie 101028929Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport FPU15/02645Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare 2012–00036Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities FPU17/04802Ramón Areces Foundation DEP2017-91544-EXPAlicia Koplowitz Foundation ALICIAK-2018University of GranadaJunta de AndalucíaEXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations DEP2005-00046/ACTIInstituto de Salud Carlos III: CB22/03/00058Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea–European Regional Development Fun

Comparability of published cut-points for the assessment of physical activity: Implications for data harmonization

This study aimed to compare estimations of sedentary time (SED) and time spent in physical activity (PA) intensities in children with overweight/obesity across different age-appropriate cut-points based on different body-worn attachment sites and acceleration metrics. A total of 104 overweight/obese children (10.1 ± 1.1 years old, 43 girls) concurrently wore ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers on their right hip and non-dominant wrist for 7 days (24 hours). Euclidean norm -1 g (ENMO) and activity counts from both vertical axis (VACounts) and vector magnitude (VMCounts) were derived. We calculated estimates of SED and light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) intensity PA using different published cut-points for children. The prevalence of children meeting the recommended 60 min/d of MVPA was calculated. The time spent in SED and the different PA intensities largely differed across cut-points based on different attachment sites and acceleration metrics (ie, SED = 11-252 min/d; light PA = 10-217 min/d; moderate PA = 1-48 min/d; vigorous PA = 1-35 min/d; MVPA = 4-66 min/d). Consequently, the prevalence of children meeting the recommended 60 min/d of MVPA varied from 8% to 96% of the study sample. The present study provides a comprehensive comparison between available cut-points for different attachment and acceleration metrics in children. Furthermore, our data clearly show that it is not possible (and probably will never be) to know the prevalence of meeting the PA guidelines based on accelerometer data since apparent differences range from almost zero to nearly everyone meeting the guidelines

Effects of an exercise program on cardiometabolic and mental health in children with overweight or obesity: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial

Importance: Childhood obesity is a risk factor associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders later in life. Investigation of the parallel effects of a defined exercise program on cardiometabolic and mental health in children with overweight or obesity may provide new insights on the potential benefits of exercise on overall health. Objective: To investigate the effects of a 20-week exercise program on cardiometabolic and mental health in children with overweight or obesity. Design, Setting, and Participants: This secondary analysis of a parallel-group randomized clinical trial was conducted in Granada, Spain, from November 1, 2014, to June 30, 2016. Data analyses were performed between February 1, 2020, and July 14, 2022. Children with overweight or obesity aged 8 to 11 years were eligible, and the study was performed in an out-of-school context. Intervention: The exercise program included 3 to 5 sessions/wk (90 min/session) of aerobic plus resistance training for 20 weeks. The wait-list control group continued with their usual routines. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cardiometabolic outcomes as specified in the trial protocol included body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and visceral adipose tissue), physical fitness (cardiorespiratory, speed-agility, and muscular), and traditional risk factors (waist circumference, blood lipid levels, glucose levels, insulin levels, and blood pressure). Cardiometabolic risk score (z score) was calculated based on age and sex reference values for levels of triglycerides, inverted high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose, the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. An additional cardiometabolic risk score also included cardiorespiratory fitness. Mental health outcomes included an array of psychological well-being and ill-being indicators. Results: The 92 participants included in the per-protocol analyses (36 girls [39%] and 56 boys [61%]) had a mean (SD) age of 10.0 (1.1) years. The exercise program reduced the cardiometabolic risk score by approximately 0.38 (95% CI, -0.74 to -0.02) SDs; decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level by -7.00 (95% CI, -14.27 to 0.37) mg/dL (to convert to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0259), body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) by -0.59 (95% CI, -1.06 to -0.12), fat mass index by -0.67 (95% CI, -1.01 to -0.33), and visceral adipose tissue by -31.44 (95% CI, -58.99 to -3.90) g; and improved cardiorespiratory fitness by 2.75 (95% CI, 0.22-5.28) laps in the exercise group compared with the control group. No effects were observed on mental health outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, an aerobic plus resistance exercise program improved cardiometabolic health in children with overweight or obesity but had no effect on mental health. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02295072.This project was supported with grants DEP2013-47540, DEP2016-79512-R, DEP2017-91544-EXP, and RYC-2011-09011 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) and by grant PID2020-120249RB-I00 from the MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033. Additional funding was obtained from the Andalusian Operational Programme supported with grant B-CTS-355-UGR18 from the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER in Spanish). Dr Cardenas-Sanchez is supported by grant FJC2018-037925-I from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and by a grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska Curie grant agreement No 101028929. Dr Migueles is supported by grant FPU15/02645 from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and grant 2012–00036 from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare. Dr Torres-Lopez is supported by grant FPU17/04802 from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Dr Rodriquez-Ayllon was funded by grant DEP2017-91544-EXP from the Ramón Areces Foundation. Additional support was obtained from grant ALICIAK-2018 from the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation, University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Unit of Excellence on Exercise, Nutrition and Health, the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades; and grant DEP2005-00046/ACTI from the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations. This research was supported by grant CB22/03/00058 from the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea–European Regional Development Fund

Early life factors and white matter microstructure in children with overweight and obesity: The ActiveBrains project

Background & aims: Exposure to a suboptimal environment during the fetal and early infancy period's results in long-term consequences for brain morphology and function. We investigated the associations of early life factors such as anthropometric neonatal data (i.e., birth length, birth weight and birth head circumference) and breastfeeding practices (i.e., exclusive and any breastfeeding) with white matter (WM) microstructure, and ii) we tested whether WM tracts related to early life factors are associated with academic performance in children with overweight/obesity. Methods: 96 overweight/obese children (10.03 +/- 1.16 years; 38.7% girls) were included from the ActiveBrains Project. WM microstructure indicators used were fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), derived from Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Academic performance was evaluated with the Battery III Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement. Regression models were used to examine the associations of the early life factors with tract-specific FA and MD, as well as its association with academic performance. Results: Head circumference at birth was positively associated with FA of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus tract (0.441; p = 0.005), as well as negatively associated with MD of the cingulate gyrus part of cingulum (-0.470; p = 0.006), corticospinal (-0.457; p = 0.005) and superior thalamic radiation tract (-0.476; p = 0.001). Association of birth weight, birth length and exclusive breastfeeding with WM microstructure did not remain significant after false discovery rate correction. None tract related to birth head circumference was associated with academic performance (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our results highlighted the importance of the perinatal growth in WM microstructure later in life, although its possible academic implications remain inconclusive.Spanish Government DEP2013-47540 DEP2016-79512-R DEP2017-91544-EXPEuropean Commission European Commission European Commission Joint Research Centre 667302Alicia Koplowitz FoundationUGR Research and Knowledge Transfer Fund (PPIT) 2016, Excellence Actions ProgrammeEuropean Commission SOMM17/6107/UGRSAMID III network, RETICS - PN I+D+I 2017-2021 (Spain)Andalusian Operational Programme - European Regional Development Funds B-CTS-355-UGR18ANID/BECAS Chile 72180543Spanish Government RTI2018-095284-J-100 FJCI-2017-33396 RYC2019-027287-