Ability of a Game-Based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Mexican Children

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Several reports indicate that sedentary lifestyle is common around Mexican children and that public policies haven’t been enough to modify this problem. Considering the existing high prevalence of obesity in Mexico, sedentary lifestyle becomes a major interest topic in health. A program which includes ludic activities (sports and traditional children’s games), to promote physical activity was designed, executed and assessed in children that come from low-income families in Mexico City. The amount and intensity of physical activity in this sample was evaluated using Actigraph GT3X accelerometers and the results were compared with actual international recommendations. The results show that children significantly increased they physical activity counts but International recommendations for physical activity, in terms of intensity and time, were not reached during the execution of the program, even though children were engaged in ludic activities during four hours each day. The average goal achievement was only 18.01%. Our results show that our program needs modifications in its design and execution strategies in order to achieve physical activity goals. Additionally we consider that actual physical activity recommendations seem to be very difficult to reach on regular daily conditions of these children where neither school nor home environments promote healthy lifestyles.