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TOPLINE:

Having stronger leg muscles significantly reduced the risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) among children and adolescents with obesity.

METHODOLOGY:

• In this cross-sectional study, researchers recruited 62 children and adolescents with obesity (BMI z-score > 2 SD) at a paediatric hospital in Milan, Italy, between March 2024 and February 2025.
• Participants were aged 6-17 years (mean age, 11.4 years; 40.3% girls; mean BMI z-score, 3.08), and 64.5% had MetS.
• Assessments included physical fitness tests (6-minute walk test [6MWT], standing broad jump, and 4 × 10-m shuttle run). The risk score for MetS was calculated from BMI z-score; systolic blood pressure; and levels of high-density lipoprotein-C, triglycerides, and fasting glucose, with MetS confirmed if the score was > 0.75.
• The analysis involved models adjusted for age and sex to examine associations between physical fitness and MetS outcomes.

TAKEAWAY:

• Each 24-cm increase in standing broad jump was associated with 53% lower odds of MetS (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.22-0.88).
• Standing broad jump was inversely correlated with BMI z-score (β = -0.443; P = .001) and systolic blood pressure (β = -0.304; P = .020).
• Additionally, 6MWT and 4 × 10-m agility run were not significantly associated with the risk for MetS; only agility was positively associated with BMI z-score (β = 0.331; P = .016).
• Muscular strength was positively correlated with fasting glucose levels (β = 0.319; P = .018)

IN PRACTICE:

"[These] findings support the role of muscle integrity in metabolic health, emphasizing the importance of educating individuals from an early age about daily PA [physical activity] to promote lifelong healthy habits," the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study, led by Matteo Vandoni and Alessandro Gatti of the Department of Public Health, Experimental Medicine and Forensic Science, University of Pavia in Pavia, Italy, was published online on July 24, 2025, in the European Journal of Pediatrics.

LIMITATIONS:

Although the sample size was sufficient to achieve the desired statistical power, it seemed small compared with that of previous studies. The cross-sectional design of this study limited the ability to establish causal inferences about the observed relationships.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was funded by Università degli Studi di Pavia, with additional co-funding from the European Union. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.