Pediatr. praxi. 2025;26(5):296-300 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2025.059

Sports and physical activities in children - a paediatric cardiologist view

doc. MUDr. Peter Kubuš, Ph.D.
Dětské kardiocentrum 2. lékařské fakulty Univerzity Karlovy v Praze a Fakultní nemocnice v Motole, Praha

This article is an overview - from a paediatric cardiologist perspective, of the role of physical activities and exercise in children in preventing the development of cardiovascular diseases and further on issues related to children engaged in regular training or competition, with a special interest on the pre-participation screening of young athletes, sudden cardiac death and the most frequent cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: children, sport, exercise, cardiology, cardiovascular diseases, risk factors.

Accepted: October 20, 2025; Published: October 30, 2025  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Kubuš P. Sports and physical activities in children - a paediatric cardiologist view. Pediatr. praxi. 2025;26(5):296-300. doi: 10.36290/ped.2025.059.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Purchase PDF - 60 CZK (2.5 EUR)
    will be unlocked 30.10.2026

    References

    1. Pelliccia A, Sharma S, Gati S, et al. 2020 ESC Guidelines on sports cardiology and exercise in patients with cardiovascular disease. Eur Heart J. 2021;42(1):17-96. Go to original source...
    2. Perak AM, Baker-Smith C, Hayman LL, et al. Toward a Roadmap for Best Practices in Pediatric Preventive Cardiology: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2023;16(9):e000120. Go to original source...
    3. Gába A, Baďura P, Dygrýn J, et al. Active Healthy Kids Czech Republic. (2022). Národní zpráva o pohybové aktivitě českých dětí a mládeže 2022. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci. doi: 10.5507/ftk.22.24461069. Go to original source...
    4. Lang JJ, Zhang K, Agostinis‑Sobrinho C, et al. Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin‑Panel Delphi Study. Sports Medicine. 2023;53:549-564. Go to original source...
    5. Urbanová Z, Šamánek M. Prevalence of hypertension at ages 5, 13 and 18 years, and its association with overweight and obesity. Cor vasa. 2007;49(5):174-178. Go to original source...
    6. Hardy ST, Sakhuja S, Jaeger BC, et al. Trends in blood pressure and hypertension among US children and adolescents, 1999-2018. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(4):e213917. Go to original source...
    7. Urbanová Z. Hyperlipoproteinemie u dětí. Vnitř Lék. 2016;62(11):882-886.
    8. Ross R, Blair SN, Arena R, et al. Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice: a case for fitness as a clinical vital sign: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulatio 2016;134:e653-e699. Go to original source...
    9. Ferreira I, Twisk JW, Stehouwer CD. Longitudinal changes in VO2max: associations with carotid IMT and arterial stiffness. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;35:1670-1678. Go to original source...
    10. Schmidt MD, Magnussen CG, Rees E. Childhood fitness reduces the long-term cardiometabolic risks associated with childhood obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2016;40:1134-1140. Go to original source...
    11. Santana CCA, Azevedo LB, Cattuzzo MT. Physical fitness and academic performance in youth: a systematic review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2017;27:579-603. Go to original source...
    12. Lubans D, Richards J, Hillman C, et al. Physical activity for cognitive and mental health in youth: a systematic review of mechanisms. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3):e20161642. Go to original source...
    13. Raghuveer G, Hartz J, Lubans DR, et al. Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Youth: An Important Marker of Health A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;142:e101-e118. Go to original source...
    14. Tomkinson GR, Lang JJ, Tremblay MS. Temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness of children and adolescents representing 19 high-income and upper middle-income countries between 1981 and 2014. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53:478-486. Go to original source...
    15. Yang L, Cao C, Kantor ED, et al. Trends in sedentary behavior among the US population, 2001-2016. JAMA. 2019;321: 1587-1597. Go to original source...
    16. Young DR, Hivert MF, Alhassan S, et al. Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016;134:e262-e279. Go to original source...
    17. Ekelund U, Steene-Johannessen J, Brown WJ, et al. Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? A harmonised meta- analysis of data from more than 1 million men and women. Lancet. 2016;388:1302-1310. Go to original source...
    18. Ruiz JR, Rizzo NS, Hurtig-Wennlöf A, et al. Relations of total physical activity and intensity to fitness and fatness in children: the European Youth Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84:299-303. Go to original source...
    19. Pate RR, Wang CY, Dowda M, et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels among US youth 12 to 19 years of age: findings from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160:1005-1012. Go to original source...
    20. Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56:755-763. Go to original source...
    21. Schwingshackl L, Dias S, Strasser B, et al. Impact of different training modalities on anthropometric and metabolic characteristics in overweight/obese subjects: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013;8:e82853. Go to original source...
    22. Giuliano C, Karahalios A, Neil C, et al. The effects of resistence training on muscle strength, quality of life and aerobic capacity in patients with chronic heart failure: A meta-analysis. Int J Cardiol. 2017;227:413-423. Go to original source...
    23. van Sluijs EMF, Ekelund U, Crochemore-Silva I, et al. Physi­cal activity behaviours in adolescence: current evidence and opportunities for intervention. Lancet. 2021;398(10298): 429-442. Go to original source...
    24. Agostinis‑Sobrinho C, Kievišienė J, Rauckienė‑Michaelsson A, et al. Cardiovascular health behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents: a longitudinal study. Eur J of Pediatrics. 2022;181:4091-4099. Go to original source...
    25. Weberruß H, Baumgartner L, Mühlbauer F, et al. Training intensity influences left ventricular dimensions in young competitive athletes. Front. Cardiovasc. Med. 2022;9:961-979. Go to original source...
    26. Inngjerdingen FM, Bjerring AW, Haugaa KH, et al. Young athlete's growing heart: sex differences in cardiac adaptation to exercise training during adolescence. Open Heart. 2023;10:e002155. Go to original source...
    27. Kubuš P, Janoušek J. Sudden cardiac death in children and young adults - epidemiology and prevention. Cor Vasa. 2012;54:223-226. Go to original source...
    28. Janoušek J, Kubuš P. Screening rizika náhlé srdeční smrti v dětském věku - mýtus nebo realita? Čes-slov Pediat. 2018;73(5):291-295.
    29. Drezner JA, Sharma S, Baggish A, et al. International criteria for electrocardiographic interpretation in athletes: Consensus statement Br J Sports Med. 2017;51(9):704-731. Go to original source...
    30. Slabý K, Procházka M, Kubuš P. Preventivní vyšetření sportovců se zaměřením na klidové EKG. Čes-slov Pediat. 2015;70(3):161-165.
    31. Sarto P, Zorzi A, Merlo L, et al. Value of screening for the risk of sudden cardiac death in young competitive athletes. Eur Heart J. 2023;44:1084-1092. Go to original source...
    32. Lampert R, Chung EH, Ackerman MJ, et al. 2024 HRS expert consensus statement on arrhythmias in the athlete: Evaluation, treatment, and return to play. Heart Rhythm. 2024;21(10):e151-e252. Go to original source...

    Return to the content


    Pediatrics for Practice

    Madam, Sir,
    please be aware that the website on which you intend to enter, not the general public because it contains technical information about medicines, including advertisements relating to medicinal products. This information and communication professionals are solely under §2 of the Act n.40/1995 Coll. Is active persons authorized to prescribe or supply (hereinafter expert).
    Take note that if you are not an expert, you run the risk of danger to their health or the health of other persons, if you the obtained information improperly understood or interpreted, and especially advertising which may be part of this site, or whether you used it for self-diagnosis or medical treatment, whether in relation to each other in person or in relation to others.

    I declare:

    1. that I have met the above instruction
    2. I'm an expert within the meaning of the Act n.40/1995 Coll. the regulation of advertising, as amended, and I am aware of the risks that would be a person other than the expert input to these sites exhibited

    No
    Yes

    If your statement is not true, please be aware
    that brings the risk of danger to their health or the health of others.