Evidence mapPaperPMID 42067787Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2026

Physical activity in infancy is associated with body composition at age three.

Steffie Vang Gundersen, Anne Dsane Jessen, Ida Karoline Bach Jensen, Jane M Bendix, Bente Stallknecht, Ellen Løkkegaard, Kasper Ascanius Pilgaard, Stig Molsted, Louise Schouborg Brinth, Grete Teilmann

Abstract readObservational StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Steffie Vang GundersenDepartment of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Dyrehavevej 29, Hilleroed, 3400, Denmark. steffie.vang.gundersen@regionh.com.
Anne Dsane JessenDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Ida Karoline Bach JensenDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Jane M BendixDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Bente StallknechtDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ellen LøkkegaardDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Kasper Ascanius PilgaardSteno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (SDCC), Herlev, Denmark.
Stig MolstedDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Louise Schouborg BrinthDepartment of Imaging and Radiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Grete TeilmannDepartment of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Dyrehavevej 29, Hilleroed, 3400, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prevalence of obesity in the pediatric population is increasing, driven by a multifactorial etiology that includes genetic predisposition as well as both prenatal and postnatal influences. We aimed to explore associations between child physical activity (PA) at ages one and three years and body composition at age three. Furthermore, we investigated associations between maternal PA during pregnancy and child body composition at age three.

methodsMother-child pairs (n = 68) from a pregnancy PA intervention study were included. Children's PA was assessed at one- and three-year follow-ups using 7-day accelerometry and categorized into 24-hour PA and daytime PA (6 a.m. - 8 p.m.). Child body composition was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and expressed as fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat percentage (BF%). Maternal moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) was measured using a commercial activity tracker. Associations between maternal and child PA and child body composition were examined using linear regression. Variables used for model adjustment included maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, maternal educational level at baseline, parity, maternal age at baseline, child walking status at age one, child sex, and child age at the three-year follow-up.

resultsWe found a positive association between daytime PA at age one and child FFM at age three. Daytime PA at age three was positively associated with FFM, and 24-hour PA at age three was negatively associated with BF% and positively associated with FFM. A 10% increase in 24-hour PA was associated with approximately 400 g higher FFM. Maternal MVPA during pregnancy showed no association with child body composition at age three.

conclusionMore daytime PA at ages one and three was associated with higher FFM at age three in children. These findings highlight the importance of research focusing on early PA habits to support healthy body composition in young children.

Indexed as

Body CompositionExerciseAnthropometryChild, PreschoolDenmarkFemaleHumansInfantMalePediatric ObesityPregnancybody compositionearly childhoodFitBabyFitKidsFitMumPhysical activity

Identifiers

PMID42067787
PMCPMC13285284

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.