• Puja Pathak
• Anup Adhikari
• Mithun Das

Objectives: Children with family history of chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidaemia along with adoption of less physical activity increases the susceptibility of the diseases in adult life among them later. The present study examined the synergistic effect of family history of chronic disease (FHD) and longer duration of leisure-time activity (LTA) on somatotype and cardiovascular health among the Bengali Hindu children and adolescents. Material and Methods: A total of 2267 Bengali Hindu children (including 471 boys and 417 girls of age 5-9 years) and adolescents (including 688 boys and 691 girls of age 10-17 years) living in the northern part of Kolkata, India from low-to-middle socio-economic strata were studied. Anthropometric measures and body composition were calculated using standard techniques. Somatotype was calculated following Heath-Carter method. All participants were classified in to three groups viz., 1) Both FHD & LTA > 1h; 2) Either FHD or LTA > 1h; and 3) Neither FHD nor LTA >1h. LTA was accessed on time spent tentatively on such daily activities that require very less or no physical activity. Results: The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test with age as covariate showed that children and adolescents who had both FHD and LTA spend > 1 hour of had significantly higher (p<0.001) endomorphy (indicator of relative fatness), and significantly lower (p<0.001) ectomorphy (indicator of relative linearity), than their counterparts, irrespective of age and sex. Discussion: Family history of chronic disease along with more leisure time spend on activities of either very low or no physical activity had adversely affecting the cardiovascular health as reflected through poor somatotype scale More sedentary activity mediated through habitual practice of during childhood and adolescent when coupled with FHD seems to put a synergistic effect leading to an early predisposition to CVD risk in adulthood. Conclusion: Habitual practice of active lifestyle needs to be initiated right from early childhood otherwise children and adolescents adopting sedentary lifestyle are at more risk of developing chronic disease by the time they renter into early adulthood.

Family History, leisure time activity, Somatotype, children, adolescent, Bengali, Asian Indian

"Synergistic effect of Family History of Chronic Diseases and Longer Duration of Leisure Time Activity on Adiposity and Body Composition among the Bengali Hindu Children and Adolescents of Kolkata, India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no.299-298, January-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1901G41.pdf

"Synergistic effect of Family History of Chronic Diseases and Longer Duration of Leisure Time Activity on Adiposity and Body Composition among the Bengali Hindu Children and Adolescents of Kolkata, India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no. pp299-298, January-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1901G41.pdf