Seasonality in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Young Children

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Fisher ◽  
John J. Reilly ◽  
Colette Montgomery ◽  
Louise A. Kelly ◽  
Avril Williamson ◽  
...  

This study examined whether there was a significant seasonal variation in objectively measured habitual physical activity and sedentary behavior in young children. Participants were children who attend nursery in Glasgow, Scotland, and measurements were taken using uniaxial accelerometry over 3 to 6 days. There were small but significant seasonal associations with physical activity and sedentary behavior (ANOVA: p < .001 in both cases). Total physical activity (accelerometry cpm) was significantly lower in spring than in summer, fall, and winter. We also found slight but significant seasonal variations in time spent in low-intensity activity and in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activity. Sedentary time was significantly lower in summer vs. spring and in fall vs. spring. The present study suggests that seasonality plays only a limited role in physical activity and sedentary behavior in young children in our setting. Single measures of these variables should be adequate for research purposes in the absence of marked seasonal variability. In our sample and setting, the limited degree of seasonality precluded identification of major seasonal barriers to and opportunities for physical activity.

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saori I. Braun ◽  
Youngdeok Kim ◽  
Amy E. Jetton ◽  
Minsoo Kang ◽  
Don W. Morgan

The purpose of this study was to determine if bone health at the femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS) can be predicted from objectively-measured sedentary behavior and physical activity data in postmenopausal women. Waist-mounted ActiGraph GT1M and GT3X devices were used to quantify levels of sedentary and moderate-to-vigorous intensity behavior during a 7-day period in 44 older females. Bone health (normal and osteopenia/osteoporosis) of FN and LS was derived from T scores generated using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Binomial logistic regression analysis indicated that sedentary time and number of breaks in sedentary behavior were significant predictors of osteopenia/osteoporosis at the FN, but not at the LS. Adherence to physical activity guidelines was not a significant predictor of bone health at the FN or LS. Our findings suggest that more frequent interruptions in sedentary behavior are associated with improved bone health in postmenopausal women.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea T. Duran ◽  
Christian B. Pascual ◽  
Jeff Goldsmith ◽  
Virginia J. Howard ◽  
Brent Hutto ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: We examined differences in the volume and pattern of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior between adults with and without stroke. Methods: We studied cohort members with an adjudicated or self-reported stroke (n=401) and age-, sex-, race-, region of residence-, and body mass index-matched participants without a history of stroke (n=1203) from the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke). Sedentary behavior (total volume and bouts), light-intensity PA, and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA were objectively measured for 7 days via hip-worn accelerometer. Results: Sedentary time (790.5±80.4 versus 752.4±81.9 min/d) and mean sedentary bout duration (15.7±12.6 versus 11.9±8.1 min/d) were higher and PA (light-intensity PA: 160.5±74.6 versus 192.9±73.5 min/d and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA: 9.0±11.9 versus 14.7±17.0 min/d) lower for stroke survivors compared with controls ( P <0.001). Stroke survivors also accrued fewer activity breaks (65.5±21.9 versus 73.31±18.9 breaks/d) that were shorter (2.4±0.7 versus 2.7±0.8 minutes) and lower in intensity (188.4±60.8 versus 217.9±72.2 counts per minute) than controls ( P <0.001). Conclusions: Stroke survivors accrued a lower volume of PA, higher volume of sedentary time, and exhibited accrual patterns of more prolonged sedentary bouts and shorter, lower intensity activity breaks compared with persons without stroke.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Brad R. Julius ◽  
Amy M.J. O’Shea ◽  
Shelby L. Francis ◽  
Kathleen F. Janz ◽  
Helena Laroche

Purpose: The authors examined the relationship between mother and child activity. Methods: The authors compared moderate–vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time of low-income mothers with obesity and their 6- to 12-year-old children on week (WD) and weekend (WE) days. A total of 196 mother–child pairs wore accelerometers simultaneously for a week. Mothers completed questionnaires. Spearman correlation and multivariate regression were used. Results: WE MVPA (accelerometry) was significantly correlated between mothers with children aged 6–7 (rs = .35) and daughters (rs = .27). Self-reported maternal PA time spent with one of their children was significantly correlated with the WE MVPA of all children (rs = .21) and children aged 8–10 (rs = .22) and with the WD MVPA of all children (rs = .15), children aged 8–10 (rs = .23), aged 11–12 (rs = .52), and daughters (rs = .37), and inversely correlated to the WD sedentary time of all children (rs = −.21), children aged 8–10 (rs = −.30), aged 11–12 (rs = −.34), daughters (rs = −.26), and sons (rs = −.22). In multivariate regression, significant associations were identified between reported child–mother PA time together and child MVPA and sedentary time (accelerometry). Conclusions: Mothers may influence the PA levels of their children with the strongest associations found in children aged 6–7 and daughters. Mother–child coparticipation in PA may lead to increased child MVPA and decreased sedentary behavior.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W Buford ◽  
Don G Hire ◽  
Walter T Ambrosius ◽  
Stephen D Anton ◽  
Timothy S Church ◽  
...  

Introduction: In middle-aged adults, time spent being sedentary is associated with cardiovascular (CV) health risks independent of structured physical activity (PA). However, data are sparse regarding the impact of sedentary behavior on CV risk in older adults. The extent to which the absolute duration or intensity of daily PA reduces CV risk in older adults is also unknown. Objectives: Our objective was to examine the cross-sectional association between objectively-measured sedentary behavior and predicted CV risk among older adults in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study. The secondary objective was to evaluate associations between the duration/intensity of daily PA and predicted CV risk. Methods: LIFE is a randomized clinical trial to determine if regular PA prevents mobility disability among mobility-limited older adults. Activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometer at baseline prior to participation in study interventions. Only participants with at least three days of accelerometry data (≥ 10 hrs wear time) were included. Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression was used to model the relationship between accelerometry measures and predicted 10-year Framingham risk of Hard Coronary Heart Disease (HCHD; i.e. myocardial infarction or coronary death). Adjusted models included demographic confounders (e.g. education, race, income) and health parameters (e.g. depression, cognition, arthritis) not in the risk score. Accelerometry cut-points were (in counts/min): sedentary behavior: < 100; low-intensity activity: 100-499; higher intensity activity: > 500. Results: Participants (n = 1170; 78.7 ± [SD] 5.3 years; 66.1% female) had a median HCHD risk of 10.3% (25 th -75 th %: 5.7-18.6). Over a mean accelerometer wear time of 8.1 ± 3.2 days, participants spent 77.0 ± 8.2% of their time sedentary. They also spent 16.6 ± 5.0% of their time in low-intensity PA and 6.4 ± 4.4% in higher-intensity PA. For all PA performed (> 100 counts/min), participants achieved a median of 393.4 (337.8-473.5) counts/min. In the unadjusted model, time spent sedentary (β = 2.41; 95% CI : 1.94, 2.89), in low-intensity PA (-2.56; -3.03, -2.08), and in higher-intensity PA (-1.60; -2.09, -1.11) were all associated with HCHD risk (all p’s < 0.001). These associations remained significant after adjustment. The mean intensity of daily PA was not significantly associated with HCHD risk in any model (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Daily time spent being sedentary is positively associated with predicted 10-year HCHD risk among mobility-limited older adults. Duration, but not mean intensity, of daily PA is inversely associated with HCHD risk score in this population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Downing ◽  
Trina Hinkley ◽  
Anna Timperio ◽  
Jo Salmon ◽  
Alison Carver ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Little is known about how activity patterns change throughout childhood. This study examined changes and tracking of total volume and bouts of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (SED) from early to late childhood. Methods Volume and bouts of SED and light-, moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA (LPA, MPA and VPA) were assessed by accelerometry at 3-5y (n = 758), 6-8y (n = 473) and 9-11y (n = 478). Mixed models examined changes and generalized estimating equations assessed tracking (β &lt; 0.3=weak, 0.3-0.6=moderate, &gt;0.6=strong), stratified by sex and controlling for baseline age and time between measurements. Results Patterns of SED increased and LPA decreased for both sexes. Total volume of MPA decreased for girls, but time in ≥ 1-min bouts increased for both sexes. Total volume of VPA increased for both sexes, with time spent in ≥ 1-min bouts increasing for boys. All volume and bout variables tracked moderately for boys, except SED bouts ≥15-min, LPA bouts ≥5-min and MPA bouts ≥1-min which tracked weakly. For girls, total SED and bouts ≥1-min tracked strongly, while total volume of LPA, MPA and VPA, ≥5- and ≥10-min SED bouts, and ≥1-min LPA and MPA bouts tracked moderately. Conclusions Activity patterns changed from early to late childhood, with total volumes and short bouts of PA and SED tracking more strongly than longer bouts. Although MVPA increased slightly, total volume and bouts of SED increased considerably more and, of concern, replaced LPA. Key messages Interventions are needed to ensure that young children establish and maintain healthy PA and SED levels from a young age.


Author(s):  
Chelsea Carpenter ◽  
Chih-Hsiang Yang ◽  
Delia West

Previous studies have examined the ability of the Fitbit to measure physical activity compared to research-grade accelerometers. However, few have examined whether Fitbits accurately measure sedentary behavior. This study examined whether the Fitbit Charge 3 adequately quantifies sedentary behavior compared to the gold standard in objectively measured sedentary behavior assessment, the activPAL. Eleven adults wore a Fitbit Charge 3 and activPAL device for 14 days and self-reported their sedentary behavior each week. ActivPAL epoch data were summed into minute-by-minute data and processed with two cutpoints (activPAL_Half and activPAL_Full) to compare to Fitbit data. Paired t-tests were used to examine differences between the two devices for sedentary behavior variables. Intraclass correlations were used to examine device agreement. There was no significant difference in sedentary time between activPAL_Half and Fitbit data, but activPAL_Full estimated significantly lower sedentary time than Fitbit. Intraclass correlations showed high agreement. We suggest that Fitbit could replace activPAL when measuring total sedentary time.


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