METHODS The results of recent systematic review s are discussed and supplemented with relevant literature not included in these review s. PubMed was search ed for the years 2006 - 2011 for additional topics not sufficiently covered by the review s. RESULTS PA was associated with lower blood pressure and a healthier lipid blood profile in children .
The association was stronger when a composite risk factor score was analysed , and the associations between physical fitness and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk factors were even stronger .
Muscle strength and endurance exercise each had an effect on blood lipids and insulin sensitivity even if the effect was smaller for muscle strength than for aerobic exercise .
New evidence suggests possible effects of PA  on C-reactive protein .
CONCLUSION There is accumulating evidence that PA can have beneficial effects on the risk factors of CVD in children .
BACKGROUND A number of recent systematic review s have result ed in changes in international recommendations for children 's participation in physical activity ( PA ) for health .
The World Health Authority ( WHO ) has recently released new recommendations .
The WHO still recommends 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , but also emphasises that these minutes should be on top of everyday physical activities .
Everyday physical activities total around 30 min of MVPA in the quintile of the least active children , which means that the new recommendations constitute more activity in total compared with earlier recommendations .
OBJECTIVE To summarise evidence justifying new PA recommendation for cardiovascular health in children .
Effect of 4 weeks of Pilates on the body composition of young girls.
BACKGROUND There is a need to find ways to increase the physical activity levels and improve the body composition and blood pressure of girls . METHODS Thirty 11-year-old girls were recruited from two after school programs in Houston Texas in Spring 2005 . Participants from one program ( 16 ) were r and omly assigned to intervention , the other ( 14 ) served as controls .  BMI , BMI percentile , waist circumference and blood pressure were assessed before and after the intervention . Pilates classes were provided free of charge for an hour per day at the intervention site , 5 days a week , for 4 weeks . Four participants wore  heart rate monitors  during every session and completed enjoyment and perceived exertion question naires . Repeated measures analysis of variance with time ( within ) and group ( between ) as factors was performed . RESULTS Mean attendance was 75 % , mean heart rate 104 bpm , mean perceived exertion 5.9 ( 1 - 10 scale ) and enjoyment 4.4 ( 1 - 5 scale ) . There was a significant ( P = 0.039 ) time by group interaction for BMI percentile . Graphs indicated that this difference was influenced by large reductions in the BMI percentile of healthy girls . CONCLUSIONS Girls enjoyed Pilates , and participation for 4 weeks lowered BMI percentile .  Pilates holds promise as a means of reducing obesity
METHODS The results of recent systematic review s are discussed and supplemented with relevant literature not included in these review s. PubMed was search ed for the years 2006 - 2011 for additional topics not sufficiently covered by the review s. RESULTS PA was associated with lower blood pressure and a healthier lipid blood profile in children .
The association was stronger when a composite risk factor score was analysed , and the associations between physical fitness and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk factors were even stronger .
Muscle strength and endurance exercise each had an effect on blood lipids and insulin sensitivity even if the effect was smaller for muscle strength than for aerobic exercise .
New evidence suggests possible effects of PA  on C-reactive protein .
CONCLUSION There is accumulating evidence that PA can have beneficial effects on the risk factors of CVD in children .
BACKGROUND A number of recent systematic review s have result ed in changes in international recommendations for children 's participation in physical activity ( PA ) for health .
The World Health Authority ( WHO ) has recently released new recommendations .
The WHO still recommends 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , but also emphasises that these minutes should be on top of everyday physical activities .
Everyday physical activities total around 30 min of MVPA in the quintile of the least active children , which means that the new recommendations constitute more activity in total compared with earlier recommendations .
OBJECTIVE To summarise evidence justifying new PA recommendation for cardiovascular health in children .