B4181 - Movement behaviours cardiometabolic risk and body composition in children and adolescents - 06/03/2023

B number: 
B4181
Principal applicant name: 
Youngwon Kim | The University of Hong Kong (China)
Co-applicants: 
Dr. Au Yeung Shiu Lun Ryan
Title of project: 
Movement behaviours, cardiometabolic risk, and body composition in children and adolescents
Proposal summary: 

Objectives: To investigate the associations of lifestyle behaviours with indicators of cardiometabolic health and body composition and whether the associations vary by genetic susceptibility in children and adolescents.

Methods: We will use both genotype and phenotype data from the “Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children” birth cohort of European children and adolescents. Genetic risk for unhealthy levels of cardiometabolic risk markers and body composition will be calculated based on the established trait-specific genetic variants. We will use accelerometer data (collected at average ages 11, 13, 15 and 24 years) to derive sedentary time, light physical activity (PA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA, and 4 sets of questionnaire data to quantify 3 sedentary activities and 1 PA type.

Conclusions: Findings from the proposed research will indicate the roles of PA and sedentary time in enhancing cardiometabolic health and body composition, and whether such roles differ by genetic susceptibility in children and adolescents of European ancestry.

Impact of research: 
The evidence obtained from this project has the potential to motivate children and adolescents to adopt and sustain less sedentary and more physically active lifestyles which could help improve their cardiometabolic and body composition profiles. Our study findings will be highly translational given that our project has much potential to inform future lifestyle-modification intervention studies of children and adolescents, specifically those at high genetic risk of common chronic diseases.
Date proposal received: 
Sunday, 22 January, 2023
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 26 January, 2023
Keywords: 
Genetic epidemiology (including association studies and mendelian randomisation), Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Bone disorders - arthritis, osteoporosis, Obesity, GWAS, Statistical methods, Biomarkers - e.g. cotinine, fatty acids, haemoglobin, etc., Blood pressure, BMI, Cardiovascular, Genetic epidemiology, Physical - activity, fitness, function