Daily step count and cardiometabolic risk in young people: a systematic review

Abstract The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the association between the number of daily steps and cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents. Studies published from 1 January 2000 to 31 May 2016 in the PubMed, SciELO and LILACS databases were analyzed. Manual searches of the reference lists of the selected articles were also performed. Of the 4,454 articles retrieved, eight studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Seven of these studies reported some significant association between step count and cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the data suggested the lack of an association with hyperglycemia, were inconclusive regarding lipid profile alterations, divergent for high blood pressure, and indicated an association with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome only in males. The findings of this systematic review do not permit to determine the association between step count and cardiometabolic risk factors in young people. The small number of articles that met the eligibility criteria and the different methodological problems of the studies reviewed were the main factors limiting inferences. Observational studies with a longitudinal design (cohort and casecontrol) and accurate methodological control are necessary.