Does Participation in Physical Education Reduce Sedentary Behaviour in School and throughout the Day among Normal-Weight and Overweight-to-Obese Czech Children Aged 9–11 Years?

Erik Sigmund,Dagmar Sigmundová,Andrea Gecková,Zdenek Hamrik

doi:10.3390/ijerph110101076

Abstract

Participation of 9 to 11-year-old children in physical education lessons (PEL) contributes to a significantly higher duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the school day and, in overweight/obese girls and normal-weight boys, to an increase in overall daily MVPA as shown by previous research. However, it is not known whether this increase in MVPA is at the expense of light physical activity (LPA) or sedentary behaviour (SED). SED, LPA, and MVPA were assessed in 338 schoolchildren aged 9–11 years (50.3% girls; 29.6% overweight/obese) over two school days (with and without a PEL) using a triaxial accelerometer during various segments of the school day. SED, LPA, and MVPA were quantified based on the duration of the activity (minutes). Participation in PEL led to significantly higher school MVPA in the overweight/obese and normal-weight girls and boys (p < 0.005) compared to MVPA of those children on the school day without PEL. Participation in PEL led to a significantly higher overall daily MVPA duration compared to that during the day without PEL for the overweight/obese girls (p < 0.05), normal-weight girls (p < 0.05) and boys (p < 0.005). Participation in PEL contributed not only to significantly higher LPA in the normal-weight girls and boys (p < 0.01) during the school day but also reduced school-time SED in the overweight/obese children (p < 0.01) and normal-weight girls (p < 0.005). Moreover, participation in PEL significantly reduced the overall daily SED in the normal-weight children and overweight/obese boys (p < 0.05). Adding one PEL to the daily school routine appears to be a promising strategy for effectively reducing SED in children.

Highlights

Sedentary behaviour (SED) is characterised as any waking activity that requires very low energy expenditure (≤1.5 METs) and that occurs while sitting or reclining [1,2,3]
Other studies confirm that a higher level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children is associated with a reduced cardiometabolic risk irrespective of the amount of SED [12,13]
A total of 365 children (187 girls and 178 boys) between the ages of 9 and 11 years started the 3-day monitoring of overall daily sedentary behaviour and PA levels during the morning hours

Summary

Introduction

Sedentary behaviour (SED) is characterised as any waking activity that requires very low energy expenditure (≤1.5 METs) and that occurs while sitting or reclining [1,2,3]. A high level of SED and a high level of PA are not mutually exclusive behaviours [6], and it is possible for an individual to accumulate large amounts of both SED and PA throughout the day [3,6]. In other words, these findings emphasise the theory that too much SED and too little PA represent separate and distinct health risk factors. Further studies that would reveal the association between SED and PA across a large range of intensities based on objective monitoring of free-living behaviour in children are necessary [3,6]

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Discussion

Conclusion