The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study: how important is physical activity in youth for later health? (ELS 33)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Three important results came from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS). This study followed three birth cohorts (1962, 1963 and 1964) of boys and girls in the Amsterdam region in the Netherlands. The follow-up period was 25 years, with 10 measurements from age 12 to 42 years. The main purpose of the AGAHLS was to detect changes in health and lifestyle over time during the teenage and young adult period. METHODS: ), bone mineral density (BMD), obesity from body mass index (BMI) and body fatness from the sum of four skinfolds (S4S). Daily physical activity (DPA) was measured from heart rate, pedometers and an interview. Daily food intake (DFI) was measured by a cross-check dietary history interview. RESULTS: ), increased more significantly in the physically active percentile (P > 75) of males and females than in the physically inactive percentile (P < 25), (2) BMD, as measured with dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in the wrist, hip and lumbar region, showed that physical activity in youth with a high mechanical load on the bones (mostly weight bearing) increased bone formation in the hip and lumbar region of males and females in adulthood, (3) the longitudinal relationship between DPA and DFI with the development of overweight and obesity (measured from BMI and S4S) showed that more DPA resulted in significantly lower fat mass, but no relationship could be demonstrated with DFI . CONCLUSIONS: The main conclusion from this 25-year longitudinal research is that the promotion of physical activity (including physical education and sport) in adolescence can potentially be a strong tool to prevent chronic diseases and reduce healthcare costs later in life.
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An active level of physical activity or healthy aerobic fitness during early childhood is likely to be associated with better health outcomes in adulthood.
“an active level of physical activity or healthy aerobic fitness during early childhood is likely to be associated with better health outcomes in adulthood.5”
From Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020) (2020) · cites this paper as [5]
A high level of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in childhood may play an important role in protecting health later in life.
“A high level of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in childhood may play an important role in protecting health later in life.5”
From Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020) (2020) · cites this paper as [5]
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Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020)
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Zhang, N., Wang, X., Feng, M., Li, M., Wang, J., Yang, H., He, S., Xia, Z., Shang, L., Jiang, X., et al. (2024) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-024-47458-3 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Zhou, T., Zhai, X., Wu, N., Koriyama, S., Wang, D., Jin, Y., Li, W., Sawada, S. S., & Xiang, F. (2022) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare10020351 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Chen, L., Gao, D., Ma, T., Chen, M., Li, Y., Ma, Y., Wen, B., Jiang, J., Wang, X., Zhang, J., et al. (2022) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155117 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Exercise attenuates the hallmarks of aging: Novel perspectives
Qiu, Y., Fernández‐Garcia, B., Lehmann, H. I., Li, G., Kroemer, G., López-Otı́n, C., & Xiao, J. (2025) · Journal of sport and health science/Journal of Sport and Health Science · doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2025.101108 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Morgan, J., Bednarz, J., Semo, R., Clark, S. R., & Schubert, K. O. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0284660 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Demirci, N., Demirci, P. T., Bjelica, B., & Güven, E. (2022) · JUMORA Jurnal Moderasi Olahraga · doi:10.53863/mor.v2i2.430 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Wu, R., Kong, S., & Kang, S.-J. (2023) · Children · doi:10.3390/children11010042 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Kuu, S., Noormets, J., Rääsk, T., Pedak, K., Saaron, V., Baskin, K., & Port, K. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21060744 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Lu, Z., Zhang, K., Morales, D., Ding, D., Varela, A. R., Pratt, M., & Hallal, P. C. (2025) · Revista Brasileira de Atividade Física & Saúde · doi:10.12820/rbafs.30e0395 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Predictors of long-term recreational exercise participation in adolescents and young adultsPreprint
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Association of aerobic fitness and body composition in people with down syndrome
de Sousa, G. R., de Almeida, E. W., Castilha, F. A., & Greguol, M. (2022) · journal of physical education · doi:10.4025/jphyseduc.v33i1.3345
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We need to know more, much more about sports participation in adolescents
Agostinete, R. R., Almeida-Correa, V., Ribeiro-de-Oliveira, A. V., Bertacine-Neto, P., Rios-Cordeiro, L., Galbiatti-Nunes, T., Gonçalves-Neto, A., & Fernandes, R. A. (2025) · Pediatric Research · doi:10.1038/s41390-025-04240-5
Long-Term Health Benefits Induced by Exercise: A Role of Epigenetic Memory
Feng, M., Li, M., Lou, J., Li, H., & Zhang, X. (2025) · Epigenetics and human health · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-08045-5_2
The Epigenetic Landscape of Exercise in Human Health: An Overview
Wu, G., Zhang, X., & Gao, F. (2025) · Epigenetics and human health · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-08045-5_1
Paramashiva, P. S., Sukumar, S., Shettigar, D., Vaishali, K., Chandrasekaran, B., Palaniswamy, H. P., Dkhar, W., Pradhan, A., Panakkal, N. C., David, L. R., et al. (2026) · Public Health in Practice · doi:10.1016/j.puhip.2026.100811
- Authors
- Kemper, H. C., & Monyeki, K. D.
- Affiliations
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- ORCID
- Kemper, Han CG
- Venue
- Cardiovascular Journal of Africa
- Publisher
- Clinics Cardive Publishing
- Published
- 2019-06-28
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 138-141
- ISSN
- 1015-9657 (ISSN-L)
- 1995-1892
- 1680-0745
- OpenAlex
- W2953992743
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cardiovascular journal of South Africa/Cardiovascular journal of Southern Africa (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
- Keywords
- physical activity, youth, adolescence, bone mineral density, obesity, overweight, fat mass, daily food intake, chronic disease prevention, physical education, sport, Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study
- MeSH terms
- Healthy Lifestyle, Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Child, Child Development, Female, Health Promotion, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Netherlands, Nutritional Status, Obesity, Oxygen Consumption, Risk Factors, Time Factors, Exercise, Bone Density, Body Mass Index, Risk Assessment, Risk Reduction Behavior, Adolescent Development, Adiposity, Young Adult, Protective Factors
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