Results From Malaysia’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents

Background:The 2016 Malaysia Active Healthy Kids Report Card aims to collect, assess, and grade current and comprehensive data on physical activity (PA) and associated factors in Malaysian children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years.Methods:This report card was developed following the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card protocol. The Research Working Group identified the core matrices, assessed the key data sources, and evaluated the evidence gathered for grade assignments. A grade was assigned to each indicator by comparing the best available evidence against relevant benchmark using a standardized grading scheme.Results:Overall Physical Activity, Active Transportation, and Sedentary Behavior were assigned the D grade. The lowest grade of F was assigned to Diet, while School and Government Strategies and Investments were graded higher with a B. Five indicators were assigned INC (incomplete) due to a lack of representative data.Conclusions:The report card demonstrates that Malaysian children and adolescents are engaging in low levels of PA and active commuting, high levels of screen time, and have extremely low compliance with dietary recommendations. More efforts are needed to address the root causes of physical inactivity while increasing the opportunities for children and adolescents to be more physically active.

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Results From Spain’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2016-0308 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (s2) ◽

pp. S279-S283 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Blanca Roman-Viñas ◽

Jorge Marin ◽

Mairena Sánchez-López ◽

Susana Aznar ◽

Rosaura Leis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Sports Participation ◽

Report Card ◽

Organized Sports ◽

Low Levels ◽

Research Working Group ◽

Changes Over Time ◽

Card Model

Background:The first Active Healthy Kids Spanish Report Card aims to gather the most robust information about physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior of children and adolescents.Methods:A Research Working Group of experts on PA and sport sciences was convened. A comprehensive data search, based on a review of the literature, dissertations, gray literature, and experts’ nonpublished data, was conducted to identify the best sources to grade each indicator following the procedures and methodology outlined by the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card model.Results:Overall PA (based on objective and self-reported methods) was graded as D-, Organized Sports Participation as B, Active Play as C+, Active Transportation as C, Sedentary Behavior as D, School as C, and Family and Peers as Incomplete, Community and the Built Environment as Incomplete, and Government as Incomplete.Conclusions:Spanish children and adolescents showed low levels of adherence to PA and sedentary behavior guidelines, especially females and adolescents. There is a need to achieve consensus and harmonize methods to evaluate PA and sedentary behavior to monitor changes over time and to evaluate the effectiveness of policies to promote PA.

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Results From Brazil’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2016-0398 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (s2) ◽

pp. S104-S109 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Nelson Nardo ◽

Diego Augusto Santos Silva ◽

Gerson Luis de Moraes Ferrari ◽

Edio Luiz Petroski ◽

Ricardo Lucas Pacheco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Incomplete Data ◽

Work Group ◽

Research Work ◽

Report Card ◽

Active Transportation ◽

Children And Youth ◽

Sufficient Data ◽

Brazilian Children

Background:Very few studies have comprehensively analyzed the physical activity of children and adolescents in Brazil. The purpose of this article is to show the methodology and summarize findings from the first Brazilian Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.Methods:Three Brazilian research institutions coordinated the activities to develop the Brazilian 2016 Report Card. The data available were collected independently and then synthesized by the Research Work Group using the grade system developed for the First Global Matrix released in 2014, which included 9 indicators of physical activity. Where possible, grades were assigned based on the percentage of children and youth meeting each indicator: A is 81% to 100%; B is 61% to 80%; C is 41% to 60%; D is 21% to 40%; F is 0% to 20%; INC is incomplete data.Results:Among the 9 indicators, only 5 had sufficient data for grading. Overall Physical Activity received a C- grade, Active Transportation received a C+ grade, Sedentary Behavior received a D+ grade, and Government Strategies and Investments received a D grade.Conclusions:The low grades observed highlight the need for continued efforts aimed at improving physical activity in Brazilian children.

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Effects of individualization and age on mHealth interventions to reduce physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.35920 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hannes Baumann ◽

Janis Fiedler ◽

Kathrin Wunsch ◽

Bettina Wollesen ◽

Alexander Woll

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Low Levels

BACKGROUND Children and adolescents increasingly do not meet physical activity (PA) recommendations. Hence, insufficient physical activity (IPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) among children and adolescents are relevant behavior change domains for using individualized mobile health (mHealth) interventions. OBJECTIVE The current review and meta-analysis investigates the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on IPA and SB with a special focus on age level of individualization. METHODS PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials published between January 2000 and March 2021. mHealth interventions for primary prevention in children and adolescents addressing behavior change regarding insufficient PA and SB were included. Included studies were compared for content characteristics as well as methodological quality and summarized narratively. In addition, a meta-analysis with a subsequent exploratory meta-regression examining the moderating effects of age and individualization on overall effectiveness was performed. RESULTS Based on inclusion criteria, 11 of the preliminary 825 identified studies were included for qualitative synthesis and 10 were included for the meta-analysis. Trials included a total of 1515 participants (Age (M, SD) = 11.69 ± 0.788; 65% male; 35% female) with self-reported (n = 4) or device-based measured (n = 7) health data on the duration of SB and physical inactivity (PIA) for an average of 9.3±5.6 weeks. Studies with high levels of individualization decreased insufficient PA levels significantly (d = 0.33; CI = 0.08, 0.58; z = 2.55; p = 0.01), whereas those with low levels of individualization (d = -0.06; CI = -0.32, 0.20; Z = 0.48; p = 0.63), or targeting SB (d = -0.11; CI = -0.01, 0.23; z = 1.73; p = 0.08) indicated no overall significant effect. Heterogeneity of the studies was moderate to low, and significant subgroup differences between trials with high and low levels of individualization (χ2 = 4.04; df = 1; p = 0.04; I² = 75,2%) were found. Age as a moderator variable showed a small effect, but the results were not significant which might have been due to being underpowered. CONCLUSIONS Evidence suggests that mHealth interventions for children and adolescents can foster moderate reductions in PIA but not SB. Moreover, individualized mHealth interventions to reduce PIA seem more effective for adolescents than for children. Although to date only few mHealth studies address inactive and sedentary young people and their quality of evidence is moderate, these findings indicate the relevance of individualization on the one hand and the difficulties in reducing SB using mHealth interventions on the other hand. CLINICALTRIAL PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020209417; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=209417

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France’s 2020 Report Card on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors in Children and Youth: Results and Progression

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2021-0025 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Alicia Fillon ◽

Pauline Genin ◽

Benjamin Larras ◽

Jeremy Vanhelst ◽

Maxime Luiggi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Report Card ◽

Children And Youth ◽

Online Information ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Organized Sport ◽

National Surveys

Background: There is an alarming and constant worldwide progression of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents. The present paper summarizes findings from France’s 2020 Report Card on physical activity for children and youth, comparing its results to its 2 previous editions (2016 and 2018). Methods: France’s 2020 Report Card follows the standardized methodology established by the Active Healthy Kids Global Matrix, grading 10 common physical activity indicators using the best available evidence. The grades were informed by national surveys, peer-reviewed literature, government and nongovernment reports, and online information. Results: The expert panel awarded the following grades: Overall Physical Activity: D; Organized Sport Participation and Physical Activity: C−; Active Play: INC; Active Transportation: C−; Sedentary Behaviors: D−; Family and Peers: D−; Physical Fitness: D; School: B−; Community and the Built Environment: F; Government: C. Conclusions: This 2020 edition of France’s Report Card again highlights the alarming levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviors among French children and adolescents, calling for the development of effective national action. It also draws attention to the particular deleterious effects of the COVID-19 confinement on youth’s movement behaviors, which significantly worsened the situation.

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Pre-eminence of Moderate to Robust Physical Activity in Battling COVID-19: A Narrative Review

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v11ispl1.3203 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽

pp. 934-937

Author(s):

Tasneem M. Lakkadsha ◽

Kiran Kumar ◽

Waqar M. Naqvi ◽

Pratik Phansopkar

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mass Media ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Narrative Review ◽

The Other ◽

Physically Active ◽

Corona Virus ◽

Media Platform ◽

Being There ◽

History Books

In January 2020, we met with COVID-19 (aka SARS-Co-V-2 and/or Corona virus) on our news channels all the way from china. Little did we know that it would shake up our lives in such a manner that we had heard only in a movie or read in history books. Currently we are all in some sort of lockdown, be it in hospital/home or in our minds. Being there, most of us are facing certain kind of misery, be it emotional, mental, physical or social. To be expansive the most common stresses that have been addressed by people on mass media platform are feeling of depression and isolation caused by being away from family and friends, some are complaining of losing their enthusiasm, some of gaining weight, some of losing it and many more. Going through a pandemic is also helping people in some or the other way, one of which is being concerned about their health and habits to keep themselves fit and away from serious comorbidities which can stem out from physical inactivity and heightened stress levels. There are many ways to stay fit at home without any complex gym equipment, but far less is known about it. Thus, an understanding of methods through which one can become physically active with least complexity, easy availability, and appropriate utilization is need of the hour.

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The Acceptability, Feasibility and Effectiveness of Wearable Activity Trackers for Increasing Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126211 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6211

Author(s):

Amy V. Creaser ◽

Stacy A. Clemes ◽

Silvia Costa ◽

Jennifer Hall ◽

Nicola D. Ridgers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Behaviour Change Techniques ◽

Physically Active ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

Start Date ◽

Activity Trackers ◽

Wearable Activity Trackers

Wearable activity trackers (wearables) embed numerous behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that have previously been shown to increase adult physical activity (PA). With few children and adolescents achieving PA guidelines, it is crucial to explore ways to increase their PA. This systematic review examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables and their potential mechanisms of action for increasing PA in 5 to 19-year-olds. A systematic search of six databases was conducted, including data from the start date of each database to December 2019 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020164506). Thirty-three studies were included. Most studies (70%) included only adolescents (10 to 19 years). There was some—but largely mixed—evidence that wearables increase steps and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA and reduce sedentary behaviour. There were no apparent differences in effectiveness based on the number of BCTs used and between studies using a wearable alone or as part of a multi-component intervention. Qualitative findings suggested wearables increased motivation to be physically active via self-monitoring, goal setting, feedback, and competition. However, children and adolescents reported technical difficulties and a novelty effect when using wearables, which may impact wearables’ long-term use. More rigorous and long-term studies investigating the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables in 5 to 19-year-olds are warranted.

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Results from England’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.2014-0165 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (s1) ◽

pp. S45-S50 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Martyn Standage ◽

Hannah J. Wilkie ◽

Russell Jago ◽

Charlie Foster ◽

Mary A. Goad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sport Participation ◽

Report Card ◽

Active Transportation ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Organized Sport ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Systematic Assessment ◽

Letter Grades ◽

Nationally Representative

Background:The Active Healthy Kids 2014 England Report Card aims to provide a systematic assessment of how England is performing in relation to engaging and facilitating physical activity (PA) in children and young people.Methods:The systematic methods and processes that underpin the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card were used and adapted. Data and evidence were consolidated, reviewed by a panel of content experts, and used to inform the assignment of letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) to 9 core indicators related to PA.Results:Children’s Overall Physical Activity received a grade of C/D. Active Transportation and Organized Sport Participation received grades of C and C-, respectively. The indicators of School and Community and the Built Environment were graded favorable with grades of A- and B, respectively. Active Play, Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, and Government Strategies and Investments were graded as INC (incomplete) due to a lack of nationally representative data and/or as a result of data not mapping onto the benchmarks used to assign the grades.Conclusions:Substantial provision for PA opportunities in England exists. Yet more effort is required to maximize use of these resources to increase PA participation.

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The active grandparent hypothesis: Physical activity and the evolution of extended human healthspans and lifespans

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2107621118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (50) ◽

pp. e2107621118

Author(s):

Daniel E. Lieberman ◽

Timothy M. Kistner ◽

Daniel Richard ◽

I-Min Lee ◽

Aaron L. Baggish

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Energy Allocation ◽

Noncommunicable Diseases ◽

The Novel ◽

Physically Active ◽

Proximate Mechanisms ◽

Aging Populations ◽

Selection For

The proximate mechanisms by which physical activity (PA) slows senescence and decreases morbidity and mortality have been extensively documented. However, we lack an ultimate, evolutionary explanation for why lifelong PA, particularly during middle and older age, promotes health. As the growing worldwide epidemic of physical inactivity accelerates the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases among aging populations, integrating evolutionary and biomedical perspectives can foster new insights into how and why lifelong PA helps preserve health and extend lifespans. Building on previous life-history research, we assess the evidence that humans were selected not just to live several decades after they cease reproducing but also to be moderately physically active during those postreproductive years. We next review the longstanding hypothesis that PA promotes health by allocating energy away from potentially harmful overinvestments in fat storage and reproductive tissues and propose the novel hypothesis that PA also stimulates energy allocation toward repair and maintenance processes. We hypothesize that selection in humans for lifelong PA, including during postreproductive years to provision offspring, promoted selection for both energy allocation pathways which synergistically slow senescence and reduce vulnerability to many forms of chronic diseases. As a result, extended human healthspans and lifespans are both a cause and an effect of habitual PA, helping explain why lack of lifelong PA in humans can increase disease risk and reduce longevity.

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DISTANCE TO FITNESS ZONE, USE OF FACILITIES AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN ADULTS

Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte ◽

10.1590/1517-869220182402180439 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 157-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Alice Tatiane da Silva ◽

Rogério César Fermino ◽

Adalberto Aparecido dos Santos Lopes ◽

Claudia Oliveira Alberico ◽

Rodrigo Siqueira Reis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Day Length ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Active Commuting ◽

Open Spaces ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active

ABSTRACT Introduction: The characteristics of the built environment are important predictors of physically active behavior. In this regard, the presence, availability, access to and quality of public open spaces for physical activity close to home are positively associated with their use and higher levels of physical activity in the population. Objective: To analyze the association between distance from home to outdoor fitness zones with the use of these facilities and physical activity in adults from Curitiba, Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted with 328 users of 20 outdoor fitness zones. Distance was calculated with the Geographic Information System (GIS) using the street network in ArcGIS 10.1 and classified in tertiles (≤854 meters; 855-1741 meters; ≥1742 meters). To assess the use of the facilities, three attributes were considered: weekly frequency (times/week), length of stay (minutes/day) and length of use (months). The leisure module of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) assessed physical activity, and travel to the destination was classified as "passive" or "active". The association was tested using Poisson regression in STATA 12.0. Results: An inverse association was found between the upper tertile of distance from home to the outdoor fitness zones and active commuting (PR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.51-0.97), and ≥31 min/day length of stay (PR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.31-0.76). Conclusion: Reducing distances and increasing the number of facilities may increase physical activity through active commuting and length of stay at outdoor fitness zones.

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Study protocol of a population-based cohort investigating Physical Activity, Sedentarism, lifestyles and Obesity in Spanish youth: the PASOS study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036210 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. e036210

Author(s):

Santiago Felipe Gómez ◽

Clara Homs ◽

Julia Wärnberg ◽

Maria Medrano ◽

Marcela Gonzalez-Gross ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Physical Inactivity ◽

Smoking Habit ◽

Population Based ◽

Sedentary Behaviours ◽

Registration Number ◽

Representative Random Sample ◽

Nationally Representative

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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