Childhood Physical Activity and Body Composition

Applying Global Knowledge to the South Asian Scenario

A two-day workshop organised by Sneha-India and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) in Calicut, Kerala, India, 6^th-7^th November 2008

Physical inactivity is positively associated with adiposity in children and adults and is an independent risk factor for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) in adults.

Due to rapid urbanisation and ‘modernisation’ in many parts of the world, opportunities for physical activity in children are reduced contributing to their rising levels of obesity. Given that the prevalence of CVD and T2D are increasing, there are surprisingly few epidemiological studies investigating the relationship between physical activity and health in children.

South Asians tend to have significantly lower muscle and visceral mass and are relatively more adipose than Caucasians. This ‘thin-fat’ phenotype is present from birth into adulthood and may explain an increased risk of CVD and T2D.  Combined with a lack of physical activity, this phenotype is likely to contribute to the predicted increase in these chronic diseases in South Asia.

This workshop aims to provide consensus on what is known about the relationship between body composition and physical activity in children, to plan effective interventions and identify future research needs.

Talks from international and South Asian speakers will include:

• Epidemiology of childhood adiposity in the South Asian context Asian context
• Association between physical activity, fitness and markers of cardiovascular risk
• Measurement of physical activity within public health research
• Review of physical activity intervention studies
• Determinants of childhood physical activity
• Physical activity and public health policy

There will also be a dedicated poster session on studies of determinants of activity and physical activity interventions carried out in children.

Please contact Dr GV Krishnaveni (kittyveni@hotmail.com) or Sarah Kehoe (sk@mrc.soton.ac.uk) for further details.

Links to

• Registration form.
• Physical Activity Workshop Programme.
• Abstract submission for poster presentation