Secular and longitudinal physical activity changes in population-based samples of children and adolescents

IntroductionPhysical activity (PA) is essential to healthy mental and physical development in early life. However, the prevalence of physical inactivity, which is considered a key modifiable driver of childhood obesity, has reached alarming levels among European youth. There is a need to update the data for Spain, in order to establish if current measures are effective or new approaches are needed.Methods and analysisWe present the protocol for Physical Activity, Sedentarism, lifestyles and Obesity in Spanish youth (PASOS). This observational, nationally representative, multicentre study aims to determine the PA levels, sedentary behaviours and prevalence of physical inactivity (defined as <60 min of moderate to vigorous PA per day) in a representative sample of Spanish children and adolescents. The PASOS study has recruited a representative random sample of children and adolescents aged 8–16 years from 242 educational centres in the 17 ‘autonomous regions’ into which Spain is divided. The aim is to include a total of 4508 youth participants and their families. Weight, height and waist circumference will be measured by standardised procedures. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet, quality of life, sleep duration, PA and sedentary behaviour are being measured by validated questionnaires. PA is measured by the Physical Activity Unit 7-item Screener. A representative subsample (10% of participants) was randomly selected to wear accelerometers for 9 days to obtain objective data on PA. Parents are asked about their educational level, time spent doing PA, diet quality, self-perceived stress, smoking habit, weight, height, their child’s birth weight and if the child was breast fed.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain. Main findings of the study will be disseminated to the scientific community and to general public by media conferences, social media and a website.Trial registration numberISRCTN34251612.

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A frequency questionnaire to estimate free-living physical activity among Tunisian preadolescent and adolescent children

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980013002759 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (10) ◽

pp. 2253-2262 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Houda Ben Gharbia ◽

Agnès Gartner ◽

Pierre Traissac ◽

Francis Delpeuch ◽

Bernard Maire ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Energy Expenditure ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Weighted Kappa ◽

Population Based ◽

Major Activity ◽

School Time ◽

Activity Frequency

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a child- and adolescent-appropriate physical activity frequency questionnaire (PAFQ) in Tunisia, North Africa.DesignA PAFQ was developed from a physical activity (PA) inventory that comprised major activity components (at home, preparing meals, school time, transport, non-sport leisure, sports, prayer and sleeping time). Then, type and duration of each activity undertaken during the past week were estimated. Total energy expenditure (TEE) estimated by the PAFQ was compared with data derived from two criterion methods: heart-rate monitoring (HRM) and a 24 h PA recall (24h-R), both collected during a 3 d period including one weekday and two weekend days.SettingTwo elementary schools and two high schools of the most developed and urbanized area, Greater Tunis.SubjectsOne hundred and forty-two volunteer children and adolescents aged 10–19 years.ResultsThe PAFQ strongly was correlated with both HRM (r = 0·70; 95 % CI 0·62, 0·76) and 24h-R (r = 0·81; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·84). It featured acceptable agreement with both criterion measures, slightly underestimating TEE compared with 24h-R (−2·8 %, mean of individual differences −272·7 kJ/d; 95 % CI −490·6, −57·4 kJ/d) and moderately overestimating it compared with HRM (+11·3 %, mean of individual differences +1106·2 kJ/d; 95 % CI 845·8, 1366·6 kJ/d). Reliability ranged from moderate to good (weighted kappa coefficients from 0·47 to 0·78 and intra-class correlation coefficients between 0·79 and 0·86 for energy expenditure by PA categories), indicating strong agreement between the two assessments.ConclusionsThis PAFQ could be useful in the description and surveillance of PA patterns or for the evaluation of population-based interventions directed at promoting PA in Tunisian children and adolescents.

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Temporal trends in physical activity levels across more than a decade – a national physical activity surveillance system among Norwegian children and adolescents

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-021-01120-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jostein Steene-Johannessen ◽

Sigmund Alfred Anderssen ◽

Elin Kolle ◽

Bjørge Herman Hansen ◽

Mari Bratteteig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Large Population ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Population Based ◽

School Level ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Nationally Representative

Abstract Background There is a scarcity of device measured data on temporal changes in physical activity (PA) in large population-based samples. The purpose of this study is to describe gender and age-group specific temporal trends in device measured PA between 2005, 2011 and 2018 by comparing three nationally representative samples of children and adolescents. Methods Norwegian children and adolescents (6, 9 and 15-year-olds) were invited to participate in 2005 (only 9- and 15-year-olds), 2011 and 2018 through cluster sampling (schools primary sampling units). A combined sample of 9500 individuals participated. Physical activity was assessed by hip worn accelerometers, with PA indices including overall PA (counts per minute), moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA), and PA guideline adherence (achieving on average ≥ 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA). Random-effects linear regressions and logistic regressions adjusted for school-level clusters were used to analyse temporal trends. Findings In total, 8186 of the participating children and adolescents provided valid PA data. Proportions of sufficiently active 6-year-olds were almost identical in 2011 and 2018; boys 95% (95% CI: 92, 97) and 94% (95%CI: 92, 96) and girls 86% (95% CI: 83, 90) and 86% (95% CI: 82, 90). Proportions of sufficiently active 15-year-olds in 2005 and 2018 were 52% (95% CI: 46, 59) and 55% (95% CI: 48, 62) in boys, and 48% (95% CI: 42, 55) and 44% (95% CI: 37, 51) in girls, respectively, resulting from small differences in min/day of MVPA. Among 9-year-old boys and girls, proportions of sufficiently active declined between 2005 and 2018, from 90% (95% CI: 87, 93) to 84% (95% CI: 80, 87)) and 74% (95% CI: 69, 79) to 68% (95% CI: 64, 72), respectively. This resulted from 9.7 min/day less MVPA in boys (95% CI: − 14.8, − 4.7; p < 0.001) and 3.2 min/day less MVPA (95% CI: − 7.0, 0.7; p = 0.106) in girls. Conclusions PA levels have been fairly stable between 2005, 2011 and 2018 in Norwegian youth. However, the declining PA level among 9-year-old boys and the low proportion of 15-year-olds sufficiently active is concerning. To evaluate the effect of, and plan for new, PA promoting strategies, it is important to ensure more frequent, systematic, device-based monitoring of population-levels of PA.

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Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Activity Among Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study of a Rural City in Japan

Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.2188/jea.je20190047 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (9) ◽

pp. 404-411 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Takafumi Abe ◽

Jun Kitayuguchi ◽

Shinpei Okada ◽

Kenta Okuyama ◽

Tatsunosuke Gomi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Population Based Study

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The impact of the Vancouver Winter Olympics on population level physical activity and sport participation among Canadian children and adolescents: population based study

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-014-0107-y ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Cora L Craig ◽

Adrian E Bauman

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Population Level ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Winter Olympics ◽

The Impact

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Associations between Physical Activity and Food Intake among Children and Adolescents: Results of KiGGS Wave 2

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11051060 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1060 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Kristin Manz ◽

Gert B. M. Mensink ◽

Jonas D. Finger ◽

Marjolein Haftenberger ◽

Anna-Kristin Brettschneider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Food Intake ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Soft Drink ◽

Food Group ◽

Population Based ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

Healthy Growth

A balanced diet and sufficient physical activity are essential for the healthy growth of children and adolescents and for obesity prevention. Data from the second wave of the population-based German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2; 2014–2017) were used to analyse the association between food intake and physical activity among 6- to 17-year-old children and adolescents (n = 9842). Physical exercise (PE) and recommended daily physical activity (RDPA) were assessed with self-administered questionnaires and food intake by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse the association between food group intake (dependent variable) and level of PE or RDPA. High levels of physical activity (PE or RDPA) were associated with higher consumption of juice, water, milk, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables among both boys and girls, and among boys with a higher intake of bread, potatoes/pasta/rice, meat, and cereals. Higher PE levels were also less likely to be associated with a high soft drink intake. High levels of RDPA were associated with high intake of energy-dense foods among boys, which was not observed for PE. This study indicates that school-aged children and adolescents with higher levels of physical activity consume more beneficial foods and beverages compared to those with lower physical activity levels.

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Relations between Physical Activity, Fitness, Muscle Strength and Health: Findings from the European Youth Heart Study (EYHS)

Baltic Journal of Sport and Health Sciences ◽

10.33607/bjshs.v2i93.113 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (93) ◽

Author(s):

Karsten Froberg

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Population Based ◽

High Quality ◽

Heart Study ◽

European Youth Heart Study ◽

European Youth ◽

Over Time

The European Youth Heart Study (EYHS) is an on-going multi-centre, prospective, observational cohort study. High quality observational data from population-based samples followed over time provide a valuable source that can be used for examining hypotheses of associations of suspected risk factor exposures with health outcomes. Furthermore, given that the data are collected in well-defined population samples with high participation rates, it can be used for surveillance purposes. Surveillance involves a systematic collection of data from well-defined populations, and analysis and interpretation of such data. Timely collected- and high quality data from population-based samples is a crucial resource that can inform policy-makers and the public, and is vital for health care authorities for timely planning of prevention programs. The EYHS has used standardized high quality methods to obtain CVD risk factor levels and their determinants among population-based samples of children and adolescents across Europe. It involves random population-based samples of children and adolescents recruited from distinct geographical regions in Europe, which are followed over time. Since the late 1990-ies the EYHS has collected detailed data on 6580 children, adolescents, and young adults with high response rates (overall response rate of 72%). These data have been widely used for describing population distribution of early determinants of cardiovascular risk factors and sources of their inequalities, and in identifying personal, genetic, and environmental determinants of current and young adulthood cardiovascular health outcomes. This article summarizes major findings related to sedentary behaviour, physical activity and physical fitness. The findings include cross-sectional and prospective observational data from the EYHS.Keywords: children, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, cardiovascular fitness.

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