Blood Pressure Increase and Microvascular Dysfunction Accelerate Arterial Stiffening in Children: Modulation by Physical Activity

Atherosclerotic remodeling starts early in life and can accelerate in the presence of cardiovascular risk (CV) factors. Regular physical activity (PA) can mitigate development of large and small artery disease during lifespan. We aimed to investigate the association of changes in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), PA behavior and retinal microvascular diameters with large artery pulse wave velocity (PWV) in prepubertal children over 4 years. The school-based prospective cohort study included 262 children initially aged 6-8 years, assessing the above CV risk factors and retinal vessels by standardized procedures at baseline (2014) and follow-up (2018). PWV was assessed by an oscillometric device at follow-up. Children with increased systolic BP over 4 years showed higher PWV at follow-up (β [95% CI] 0.006 [0.002 to 0.011] mmHg per unit, = 0.002). In contrast, increased vigorous PA corresponded to a lower PWV at follow-up (β [95% CI] -0.009 [-0.018 to