Age at puberty and accelerometer-measured physical activity: Findings from two independent UK cohorts. (18th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ehakeem, Ahmed; Gregson, Celia L.; Tobias, Jon H.; Lawlor, Deborah A.
• Is Part Of: Annals of human biology. Volume 47:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 399
• Publication Date: 2020-05-18
• Subjects: ALSPAC -- life-course -- physical activity -- puberty -- UK Biobank; Human biology -- Periodicals; 612
• DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2019.1707284
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4460

Abstract

Abstract: Background: It is unclear if puberty timing influences future physical activity (PA). Aim: To investigate the association of puberty timing with PA across adolescence and adulthood. Subjects and methods: Data were from two British cohorts. Participants from an adolescent birth cohort (females = 2349, males = 1720) prospectively reported age at menarche and voice break and had PA recorded by Actigraph accelerometers at ages 14 years and 16 years. A cohort of middle-aged and older adults (40–70 years; females = 48, 282; males = 36, 112) recalled their age at puberty and had PA (mean acceleration; mg ) measured by AxivityAX3 accelerometers. Results: After adjustment for age, education, smoking and BMI, per 1-year older age at menarche was associated with higher mean counts/minute at age 14 years (0.07 SD counts/minute; 95% CI = 0.04–0.11) with associations attenuated at age 16 years (0.02; −0.03–0.07). Differences in mean acceleration per older year at menarche were close to the null in women aged 40–49 years (0.02 mg; 0.01–0.03), 50–59 years (0.01; 0.00–0.02) and 60–70 years (0.01; 0.00–0.01). Age at voice break and PA associations were close to the null in both cohorts. Conclusion: We found a positive association between puberty timing and PA in females which weakened at older ages and limited evidence of an association at any age in males.