Abstract
BackgroundStudies in western countries have revealed that excessive sedentary behavior is a major risk factor for physical inactivity in adolescents. This study was performed to investigate the association between sedentary behavior and physical inactivity in Chinese adolescents using a large-scale cross-sectional survey design.MethodsThis study was part of the 2011 Chinese Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Between March and September 2011, 10,214 11–18-year-olds were recruited for survey participation in 18 schools in 10 cities in China. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and the prevalences of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors, were examined. Correlations between sedentary behavior and physical inactivity were analyzed using baseline logistic regression.ResultsAmong the final 9,901 students, physical inactivity (~80%) and sedentary behaviors (television viewing, 43%; computer use, 30.2%) were prevalent. More male than female students reported sedentary behaviors (television viewing > 2 h: 5.5% vs. 3.9%; computer use > 2 h: 7.2% vs. 3.5%; both p < 0.05), but more males were physically active than females (25.1% vs.14.6%; p < 0.05). Television viewing was associated with lower odds of no physical activity (No PA) in males [0–2 h: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.68–0.96; >4 h: OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.18–0.64], but not in females. A similar pattern between insufficient physical activity and >4 h TV viewing (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.23–0.76) and >4 h computer use (AOR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.30–0.78) was observed in males. In females, 0–2 h daily computer use was associated with higher odds of physical inactivity (No PA: AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.10–1.82; Insufficient PA: AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.24–2.01), while TV viewing was not associated with No PA or Insufficient PA. The probability of physical inactivity significantly increased with grade and decreased with socioeconomic status.ConclusionsPhysical inactivity and sedentary behaviors were prevalent in Chinese adolescents. Further support, including parental guidance and the provision of publicly accessible facilities, is necessary to encourage Chinese youths to engage sufficiently in physical activities.
Highlights
Studies in western countries have revealed that excessive sedentary behavior is a major risk factor for physical inactivity in adolescents
Koezuka et al [11] reported that television viewing was significantly associated with a higher risk of physical inactivity in Canadian youth, and the association was stronger in females than in males
No marked difference in descriptive characteristics was observed between the excluded group and the entire study sample, which supported the representativeness of the study sample
Summary
Studies in western countries have revealed that excessive sedentary behavior is a major risk factor for physical inactivity in adolescents. One hypothesis proposed to explain the pattern of physical inactivity in adolescents holds that sedentary behaviors (e.g., computer/video game use, television viewing) compete with social and physical activities during individuals’ free time [9,10]. Koezuka et al [11] reported that television viewing was significantly associated with a higher risk of physical inactivity in Canadian youth, and the association was stronger in females than in males. In the Canadian Community Health Survey [11], male light computer users were likely to be more physically active than non-users, but their activity status did not differ from that of higher-level users. Another study conducted in Canada produced a similar conclusion that computer usage increased the probability of being physically active, but this finding applied to both males and females [13]. The findings of recent studies have suggested that PA is positively associated with SES [18]
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