Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Relative to Body Mass Index among School Children in Saudi Arabia

Children’s body mass index may affect physical activity (PA) participation. Therefore, this study examined the effect of children’s weight status on underserved elementary school children’s PA and sedentary behavior (SB) throughout the segmented day. Participants were 138 children (X¯age = 8.14 years). Children’s height and weight were measured with subsequent classification of children as healthy weight or overweight/obese. Durations of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), light PA (LPA), and SB during physical education (PE), morning recess, lunch recess, after school, and overall were assessed via accelerometry over three days. Independent t-tests evaluated differences in children’s MVPA, LPA, and SB during each daily segment by weight status. Significantly higher MVPA was observed for children of healthy weight status versus children with overweight/obesity during morning recess, t(136) = 2.15, p = 0.03, after school, t(136) = 2.68, p < 0.01, and overall, t(136) = 2.65, p < 0.01. Interestingly, comparisons of children of healthy weight status and children with overweight/obesity’s LPA and SB during the after-school segment revealed a trend wherein children with overweight/obesity participated in slightly greater LPA/less SB than children of healthy weight status. Higher MVPA was observed among children of healthy weight versus children with overweight/obesity during most daily segments. Concerted efforts should focus on increasing MVPA among children with overweight/obesity.

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The Relationships of Watching Television, Computer Use, Physical Activity, and Food Preferences to Body Mass Index: Gender and Nativity Differences among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189915 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9915

Author(s):

Ahmad H. Alghadir ◽

Zaheen A. Iqbal ◽

Sami A. Gabr

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Body Mass ◽

Fast Food ◽

Online Teaching ◽

Age Groups ◽

Food Preferences ◽

Saudi Students ◽

Adolescent Students

Background: Adolescents and ethnic subgroups have been identified at high risks of overweight and its associated complications. Although some studies have investigated overweight, obesity, nutritional status, physical activity, and associated factors among Saudi students, no studies have examined these characteristics among non-Saudi students or compared non-Saudi to Saudi adolescent students. The objective of this study was to compare differences between Saudi and non-Saudi adolescent students regarding time spent watching television, using computers, engaging in physical activity, and their food preferences. The relationships between these lifestyle behaviors and body mass index by Saudi nativity and gender were tested. Methods: Students aged 12 to 18 years (n = 214) from various schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, completed a self-administered questionnaire that included questions about demographic and anthropometric characteristics, daily after-school routine, physical activity, watching television, using computers, and food preferences. Non-parametric (Mann–Whitney U) tests assessed the statistical differences between Saudi and non-Saudi respondents, and males and females were separately tested. Results: Saudi boys who reported physical activity two to five times per week, the most television time, the most computer time, and the highest frequency of eating fast food and drinking soft drinks had a significantly higher mean body mass index than the non-Saudi boys in their categories. However, there were no significant differences found between the Saudi and non-Saudi girls. Conclusions: High levels of sedentary and low levels of physical activities as well as high consumption of high-fat fast foods and high-sugar drinks threaten the health of Saudi adolescents. Cultural differences in lifestyle between Saudi and non-Saudi families should be considered when developing programs to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding diet quality and physical activity. The objective of this study is more important in the current situation where increased time spent on computers and mobile phones due to online teaching in schools or working from home, decreased physical activity due to precautionary lockdowns, and unchecked eating patterns while spending more time in sedentary activities in homes has become our COVID-19 pandemic lifestyle in all the age groups. A similar study should be replicated on a large scale to study the effect of this lifestyle on our lives in all the age groups.

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Exploring Potential Mediation Pathways on the Relationship Between Acculturation and Body Mass Index (BMI) Among Latino Adolescents

Hispanic Health Care International ◽

10.1177/15404153211029893 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 154041532110298

Author(s):

Christopher Johansen ◽

Kim D. Reynolds ◽

Bin Xie ◽

Paula Palmer

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Body Mass ◽

Self Report ◽

Latino Adolescents ◽

Future Research ◽

Public High Schools ◽

Multiple Mediation ◽

The Relationship

Background: Positive associations have been observed between acculturation and body mass index (BMI), but the mediators of this relationship are not well established. Acculturation researchers have called for investigating the influence of socio-contextual variables as mediators. The objective of this study was to test the mediating effects of salty snacks, sweet snacks, physical activity, and sedentary behavior on the relationship between acculturation and BMI among Latino adolescents. Methods: Adolescents who self-identified as Latino ( n = 431) at public high schools in Southern California were recruited and completed a self-report survey. A bootstrapped multiple mediation model was used to test mediation pathways. Results: Acculturation was positively associated with physical activity ( B = 0.09, p < .05). The indirect effects of salty snacks, sweet snacks, physical activity, and sedentary behavior were not associated with BMI, suggesting no mediation. Conclusions: Future research should examine additional mediating variables on the relationship between acculturation and BMI.

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Longitudinal changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior and body mass index in adolescence: Migrations towards different weight cluster

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0179502 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. e0179502 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

José Devís-Devís ◽

Jorge Lizandra ◽

Alexandra Valencia-Peris ◽

Esther Pérez-Gimeno ◽

Xavier García-Massò ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Body Mass ◽

Longitudinal Changes

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Concordance of obesity classification between body mass index and percent body fat among school children in Saudi Arabia

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-015-0335-6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Abdulrahman Al-Mohaimeed ◽

Saifuddin Ahmed ◽

Khadiga Dandash ◽

Mohammed Saleh Ismail ◽

Nazmus Saquib

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Body Mass ◽

Body Fat ◽

School Children ◽

Percent Body Fat

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Influence of Physical Activity Body Mass Index on Perceived Physical Self-Concept among Undergraduate Students of Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation ◽

10.5530/ijpi.2019.4.39 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 210-214

Author(s):

Varghese C Antony ◽

Kaukab Azeem

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Body Mass ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Self Concept

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Evaluation of Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity Levels Using Different Accelerometry Protocols in Children from the GENOBOX Study

Sports Medicine - Open ◽

10.1186/s40798-021-00365-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Francisco Jesus Llorente-Cantarero ◽

Jose Manuel Jurado-Castro ◽

Rosaura Leis ◽

Rocío Vázquez-Cobela ◽

Esther M. González-Gil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Body Mass ◽

Clinical Examination ◽

Time Algorithm ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Puberty Stages ◽

Analytical Approaches

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) has acquired a significant relevance due to the health benefits associated with its practice. Accelerometers are an effective tool to assess PA; however, the diversity of cut-off points used to define different PA intensities through accelerometry could interfere in the interpretation of the findings among studies. Objectives The present study aimed to examine the sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) levels in children using six selected accelerometry protocols based on diverse cut-off points. Methods Clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, and PA evaluation by accelerometry were assessed in 543 selected children (10 ± 2.4 years old) from the Spanish GENOBOX study. The ActiLife data scoring program was used to determine daily min spent in SB, and light, moderate, vigorous and moderate-vigorous PA using six validated accelerometry protocols differing in their cut-off points. Results Very different estimations for SB and PA intensity levels were found in children, independently of the non-wear-time algorithm selected, and considering puberty stages, age and body mass index. The time spent in daily SB varied from 471 to 663.7 min, PA ranged from 141 to 301.6 min, and the moderate-vigorous PA was reported between 20.7 and 180.2 min. Conclusion The choice of a particular accelerometry protocol considering these factors is important to evaluate SB or PA intensities to suit the characteristics of the sample researched. It seems necessary to establish future lines of research that include different analytical approaches to measure SB and PA by accelerometry based on standardized and validated methodology.

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