The following is a summary of “Child Opportunity Index 2.0 and Disparities in Pediatric Cardiorespiratory Fitness,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Wang al.

This study aimed to assess the impact of neighborhood-level characteristics on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), as measured by peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), among healthy pediatric individuals.

Retrospective analysis was conducted using institutional cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) database data. The study included pediatric patients aged ≤ 18 without a history of cardiac disease who underwent maximal effort CPET. Patients were categorized into three self-identified racial groups: White, Black, and Latinx. Social determinants of health were evaluated using the Child Opportunity Index (COI) 2.0. CRF was analyzed across COI quintiles and racial groups, and the impact of COI on racial disparities in CRF was assessed through analysis of covariance.

A total of 1,753 CPETs met the inclusion criteria, with a mean VO_2peak of 42.1±9.8mL/kg/min. VO_2peak showed a progressive increase across COI quintiles, ranging from 39.1±9.6mL/kg/min in the very low opportunity cohort to 43.9 ± 9.4mL/kg/min in the very high opportunity cohort. White patients exhibited a higher percent predicted VO_2peak compared to both Black and Latinx patients (p<0.01 for both comparisons). However, after adjusting for COI, racial differences in CRF became non-significant.

This study highlights an association between COI and CRF among a large pediatric cohort. Furthermore, it suggests that racial disparities in CRF diminish when considering modifiable risk factors represented by COI.

 Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347624000672