Castro, NicholasZieff, GabrielBates, LaurenLassalle, PatriciaHiggins, SimonFaulkner, JamesLark, SallySkidmore, PaulaHamlin, MichaelSignal, TLWilliams, MichelleStoner, Lee2023-02-262023-02-092023-022023-02-072227-90679H6FT (isidoc)36832464 (pubmed)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/15876Background: Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk often begins early in life. Healthy lifestyle behaviors can mitigate risk, but the optimal combination of behaviors has not been determined. This cross-sectional study simultaneously examined the associations between lifestyle factors (fitness, activity behaviors, and dietary patterns) and CMD risk in preadolescent children. Methods: 1480 New Zealand children aged 8–10 years were recruited. Participants included 316 preadolescents (50% female, age: 9.5 ± 1.1 years, BMI: 17.9 ± 3.3 kg/m²). Fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF], muscular fitness), activity behaviors (physical activity, sedentary, sleep), and dietary patterns were measured. Factor analysis was used to derive a CMD risk score from 13 variables (adiposity, peripheral and central hemodynamics, glycemic control, and blood lipids). Results: Only CRF (β = −0.45, p < 0.001) and sedentary time (β = 0.12, p = 0.019) were associated with the CMD risk score in the adjusted multivariable analysis. CRF was found to be nonlinear (VO₂ max ≤ ≈42 mL/kg/min associated with higher CMD risk score), and thus a CRF polynomial term was added, which was also associated (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) with the CMD risk score. Significant associations were not found with sleep or dietary variables. Conclusion: The findings indicate that increasing CRF and decreasing sedentary behavior may be important public health targets in preadolescent children.15 pagesElectronicen© 2023 by the authors.cardiometabolic diseasecardiovascular diseasechildhoodlifestyle factorsmetabolic diseaseJournal Article10.3390/children100203362227-90672023-02-09ANZSRC::321302 Infant and child healthANZSRC::321301 Adolescent healthANZSRC::4206 Public healthANZSRC::3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematologyANZSRC::4207 Sports science and exerciseANZSRC::420702 Exercise physiologyANZSRC::3213 PaediatricsANZSRC::4206 Public healthhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution