Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of the study participants

Group 2 to 6 years

n = 994

n = 524

n = 470

Age, years

4.4 ± 0.8

4.5 ± 0.8

4.4 ± 0.8

0.226

Body mass, kg

18.3 ± 3.5

18.5 ± 3.5

18.0 ± 3.4

0.011

Height, cm

107.2 ± 7.4

107.8 ± 7.4

106.6 ± 7.5

0.011

BMI, kg/m^2a

15.8 ± 1.7

15.9 ± 1.6

15.7 ± 1.8

0.170

Sum of two skinfolds, mm^a

16.5 ± 5.0

15.3 ±54.3

17.7 ± 5.3

<0.001^b

DBP, mmHg

62.1 ± 6.2

62.0 ± 6.1

62.2 ± 6.3

0.617

SBP, mmHg

97.4 ± 8.4

97.7 ± 8.5

97.1 ± 8.2

0.238

Glucose, mmol/l

4.51 ± 0.51

4.55 ± 0.54

4.46 ± 0.48

0.010

Insulin, pmol/l^a

22.64 ± 18.47

21.39 ± 17.36

24.10 ± 19.52

0.011

HOMA-IR^a

0.68 ± 0.62

0.65 ± 0.57

0.72 ± 0.66

0.011

Cholesterol, mmol/l

4.02 ± 0.73

3.99 ± 0.72

4.06 ± 0.74

0.127

HDL-c, mmol/l

1.23 ± 0.34

1.29 ± 0.33

1.19 ± 0.35

0.001^b

Triglycerides, mmol/l

0.46 ± 0.25

0.45 ± 0.23

0.48 ± 0.28

0.188

Light PA, min/day^a

395 ± 65

400 ± 65

390 ± 66

0.019

Moderate PA, min/day^a

31 ± 16

34 ± 17

27 ± 14

<0.001^b

Vigorous PA, min/day^a

5 ± 5

6 ± 6

5 ± 5

0.281

MVPA, min/day^a

36 ± 20

39 ± 21

32 ± 17

<0.001^b

Total PA, cpm

598 ± 174

627 ± 179

565 ± 162

<0.001^b

CVD risk score CRFs

0.02 ± 2.74

0.01 ± 2.70

0.03 ± 2.77

0.879

Group 6 to 9 years

n = 2,025

n = 1,038

n = 987

Age, years

7.6 ± 0.8

7.6 ± 0.8

7.6 ± 0.8

0.926

Body mass, kg

27.7 ± 6.7

28.0 ± 6.9

27.5 ± 6.3

0.088

Height, cm

127.5 ± 7.3

128.2 ± 7.4

126.9 ± 7.3

<0.001^b

BMI, kg/m^2a

16.9 ± 2.9

16.9 ± 3.0

16.9 ± 2.8

0.618

Sum of two skinfolds, mm^a

19.8 ± 9.5

18.3 ± 9.2

21.4 ± 9.2

0.070

DBP, mmHg

64.2 ± 6.5

64.0 ± 6.7

64.5 ± 6.3

0.018

SBP, mmHg

103.2 ± 8.7

103.7 ± 8.7

102.8 ± 8.6

0.070

Glucose: mmol/l

4.81 ± 0.52

4.88 ± 0.52

4.75 ± 0.49

<0.001^b

Insulin, pmol/l^a

35.84 ± 24.65

33.41 ± 22.43

38.34 ± 24.93

<0.001^b

HOMA-IR^a

1.13 ± 0.83

1.07 ± 0.77

1.20 ± 0.84

<0.001^b

Cholesterol, mmol/l

4.19 ± 0.83

4.11 ± 0.77

4.28 ± 0.84

<0.001^b

HDL-c, mmol/l

1.40 ± 0.38

1.42 ± 0.39

1.38 ± 0.37

0.016

Triglycerides, mmol/l

0.47 ± 0.26

0.45 ± 0.24

0.49 ± 0.29

<0.001^b

Light PA, min/day^a

364 ± 64

364 ± 63

364 ± 17

0.940

Moderate PA, min/day^a

35 ± 17

41 ± 19

30 ± 12

<0.001^b

Vigorous PA, min/day^a

8 ± 6

8 ± 6

7 ± 8

0.001^b

MVPA, min/day^a

43 ± 22

49 ± 23

37 ± 18

<0.001^b

Total PA, cpm

581 ± 169

609 ± 175

553 ± 157

<0.001^b

Cardiorespiratory fitness, ml/kg/min^c

41.7 ± 14.5

42.2 ± 14.3

41.3 ± 13.8

0.01

Stages (total number)

1.9 ± 1.3

2.1 ± 1.5

1.7 ± 1.1

<0.001^b

CVD risk score CRFs

0.13 ± 3.11

0.09 ± 3.03

0.18 ± 3.19

0.501

CVD risk score CRFs + fit^c

−0.28 ± 3.26

−0.26 ± 3.016

−0.31 ± 3.36

0.775