EFFECTS OF A 16 WEEK PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTERVENTION ON SERUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN 8-11 YEAR OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN CHILDREN.

Abstract

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a non-specific marker of systemic inflammation that has been associated with heart disease, obesity, and metabolic disorders in adults and children. Previous physical activity interventions have yielded inconsistent results regarding the effects of exercise training on CRP concentrations in children. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 16-week aerobic activity intervention on serum CRP concentrations in 8-11 year old African American and Caucasian children, and to evaluate the extent to which body composition influenced this outcome. Methods: Serum CRP was analyzed from blood samples collected before and after 16 weeks of an aerobic physical activity intervention in 60 healthy pre-pubescent children (Tanner stage < 2) who were not taking medication other than for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or seasonal allergies, and whose baseline and follow-up CRP concentrations were [less than or equal to] 10 mg/L. Participants were placed into the physical activity intervention (n = 39) or control (n = 21) groups. Results: Analyses revealed that CRP concentrations remained unchanged, and BMI %tiles did not decrease, with increases in absolute peak oxygen consumption in the exercise and control groups. Baseline CRP was associated with baseline age (r = 0.356; p = 0.006), BMI percentile (r = 0.397; p = 0.002), percent body fat (r = 0.603; p = 0.000), absolute peak aerobic oxygen consumption (r = 0.314; p = 0.016) and relative peak aerobic oxygen consumption (r = -0.455; p = 0.000) yet not with sex, race, or baseline waist-to-hip ratio. No significant differences existed for CRP change across racial or BMI categories. Conclusion: Physical activity intervention does not seem to lower CRP concentration in the absence of BMI percentile or percent body fat reductions in African American and Caucasian children.