Introduction: Body fatness (BF) and low levels of cardiopulmonary fitness (CF) during adolescence have been associated with arterial stiffness (AS) later in life. How the development over time (i.e. from adolescence to adulthood) of BF and CF impact on AS in adulthood is not known.

Methods: Longitudinal data on BF (sum of 4 skinfolds – SSKF) and CF (VO2max) were derived from the AGAHLS (n=372, 197 women; 8 follow-up measures at the ages of 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 27, 32 and 36 yrs). Arterial stiffness (i.e. carotid, brachial and femoral distensibility and compliance coefficients) was assessed by non-invasive ultrasonography when subjects were 36-yrs-old; a stiffness score (average of the z-scores of these 6 estimates) was calculated. We used generalized estimating equations to compare the patterns of development of SSKF and VO2max levels (adjusted for each other and for potential confounders) over the 24-yr follow-up period between those subjects with ‘higher’ (i.e. lowest sex-specific quartile) vs. ‘normal’ (higher 3 quartiles) levels of stiffness score at the age of 36 yrs.

Results: In all subjects, SSKF increased and VO2max decreased between the ages of 13 and 36 (p<0.001); higher increases in SSKF during adolescence and decreased levels of VO2max in recent but not early years characterized individuals with higher arterial stiffness at the of age 36 as compared to their ‘normal’ counterparts (Figure).

Conclusion: Increases in body fatness rather than decreases in cardiopulmonary fitness during adolescence impact on arterial stiffness later in life; lifestyle interventions in the young should therefore target weight control.