Health-Related Quality of Life and Frequency of Physical Activity in Spanish Students Aged 8-14.

José I Calzada-Rodríguez,Ángel M Denche-Zamorano,María Mendoza-Muñoz,Jorge Pérez-Gómez,Jorge Carlos-Vivas,Sabina Barrios-Fernandez,José Carmelo Adsuar

doi:10.3390/ijerph18179418

Abstract

The study of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents has important implications in terms of policy, education, and health. Data on the time spent in physical activity (PA) and in sedentary activities in this population are worrying. We aim to analyze possible differences in HRQoL and PA levels between sexes and age groups in Spanish students aged between 8 and 14 years, as well as to assess the relationship between HRQoL and the frequency of PA in this population. A total of 3197 participants (1610 boys and 1587 girls) from 8 to 14 years old were recruited. Mquality and Mapping Child Health Utility instrument (Chu9d) were used as HRQoL indicators. A medium positive association between PA and HRQoL concerning the Spanish school population was found. HRQoL was higher among students aged 8 to 12 than 13 to 14. Moreover, when children start secondary education, both sexes seem to lose the quality of life. Similarly, PA decreases among girls over the years, although it seems to increase among boys. Thus, PA levels and HRQoL are directly associated in Spanish schoolchildren aged between 8 and 14 years. However, this HRQoL decreases in children over the years. Practical implications include the need to support education and physical activity programs to improve HRQoL in children and adolescents.

Highlights

Quality of life (QoL) is a broad multicomponent concept that captures positive and negative elements of well-being, including facets of personal health, education and work, social relationships, economic status and safety, among others [1]
This study provides information regarding the link between HealthRelated Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical activity (PA) among Spanish children and adolescents through the ENSE 2017 that should encourage stakeholders to develop actions focused on PA and health promotion, in line with previous reports [40]
HRQoL decreases in children over the years, and this decrease is greater in girls

Summary

Introduction

Quality of life (QoL) is a broad multicomponent concept that captures positive and negative elements of well-being, including facets of personal health, education and work, social relationships, economic status and safety, among others [1]. HealthRelated Quality of Life (HRQoL) focuses on the individuals’ subjective self-perception about their current health status and ability to perform daily activities in different life domains [2,3], considering individuals’ subjective insights of their own well-being, physical, social and mental health, and functioning. HRQoL represents the most common approach to assess QoL since it covers a wide range in health status, including subjective perceptions and thoughts, and individuals’ functioning and capacity to develop in different life domains [5,6]. Studying children’s QoL is imperative because, in addition to being a moral and legal imperative, its development will determine later stages of their lives, including adolescence and adulthood [5,7]. Children’s physical, psychological and social functioning in accordance with their developmental progress, individual differences and socio-cultural

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