Vigorous Sports Participation and Plasma Lipids in Lean Adolescents: The Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth Study

The aim of this study was to analyze, among lean adolescents, the changes in lipids associated with sports participation and the role of time spent in vigorous sports participation. Lean adolescents of both sexes were followed for 12 months (121 boys and 51 girls [aged 11–17 y]). Lipids were the dependent variables (total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triacylglycerol and the atherogenic index of plasma). Adolescents were divided according to sports participation (engaged and not engaged), with sports participation intensity assessed by heart rate during sports. Multivariate models were adjusted by ethnicity, biological maturation, body fat, lean soft tissue, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The atherogenic index of plasma changed in favor of boys (engaged: −0.021 [95% confidence interval: −0.060 to 0.019] versus not engaged: 0.117 [95% confidence interval: 0.028 to 0.207]) and girls engaged in sports (engaged: −0.062 [95% confidence interval: −0.102 to −0.022] versus not engaged: 0.098 [95% confidence interval: −0.018 to 0.214]). The main determinants of changes in the atherogenic index of plasma among boys were changes in lean soft tissue (r=−0.415 and p=0.050) and vigorous physical activity among girls (r=−0.291 and p=0.012). In summary, sports participation was associated with improvements in lipid profile among lean adolescents.