Abstract
Purpose Previous studies have observed that physical activity (PA) levels tend to be lower in the U.S. population than in many other countries. Within the U.S., PA levels in children are lower in the South than in other regions. Cross-country and interregional differences in PA have not been studied in young children. Methods In an ongoing study of children at genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes, PA was measured by accelerometry in samples of 5-year-old children (n = 2008) from Finland (n = 370), Germany (n = 85), Sweden (n = 706), and the U.S. (n = 847). The U.S. sample was drawn from centers in Washington State, Colorado, and Georgia/Florida. Children wore accelerometers for 7 days, and the data were reduced to daily minutes of light-, moderate- (MPA), vigorous- (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous- (MVPA) intensity PA and sedentary behavior. Multiple regression was used to compare children across countries and across regions in the U.S, adjusting for wear time, body mass index, and demographic characteristics. Results After adjusting for previously mentioned factors, MVPA and MPA were lower in U.S. children than those in Finland and Sweden. Estimates of physical activity were higher in Finland than in other countries, although not all comparisons were significantly different. U.S children spent significantly more time in sedentary behavior than children in Finland (p < 0.0001). Within the U.S., children's PA was consistently lowest in Georgia/Florida and highest in Washington. Conclusions Cross-country differences in PA, previously reported for adults and adolescents, are evident in 5-year-old children. In general, PA levels are lower in U.S. children than their European counterparts, and within the U.S., are lower in Georgia/Florida and Colorado than in Washington. Future studies should be designed to identify the factors that explain these differences.
Highlights
Physical activity exerts a powerful and beneficial influence on a wide range of health outcomes [1], and these relationships have been demonstrated in youth as well as adults [2]
Ethnic minority status was most prevalent in the U.S (26%), and among the U.S sites, it was highest in Colorado (34%)
Body Mass Index (BMI) among participants in Germany was lower than that of participants in other counties, and there were no differences in BMI among U.S participants
Summary
Physical activity exerts a powerful and beneficial influence on a wide range of health outcomes [1], and these relationships have been demonstrated in youth as well as adults [2]. Higher levels of physical activity (PA) are associated with a reduced risk for development of overweight, better cardiometabolic risk status, and improved bone health [1]. While much of the focus has been on children of school age, 6 to 18 years, assessment and promotion of PA in children of preschool age have become more common in recent years. This trend has been driven, in part, by the observation that rates of overweight and obesity have increased in 3-5-year-old children [5]. In the U.S, for example, obesity rates in 2- to 5-year-old children increased from 7.2% to 9.4% between 1988-1994 and 2013-2014 [5]. English 2- to 5-year-olds show lower rates over
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