Physical Activity Level of Swiss School Children in Comparison to other European Children

Abstract

Only little is known about the activity pattern of Swiss school children. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to (a) determine the extent, intensity and pattern of PA in Swiss school children and (b) to compare it with children (age 9.6±0.4yrs) of 4 distinct regions in Europe. METHODS: 357 children (166 boys, age 9.5±2.1yrs and 191 girls, age 9.3±2.1yrs) were randomly selected and stratified by age, geographic region, and by ethnicity. Subjects wore an accelerometer (MTI Actigraph) slightly superior to the right iliac crest for 7 consecutive days. Total PA (total counts/daily hours awake) and vigorous activity (>3000cpm) were calculated over 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days in order to be able to compare PA of Swiss children with PA from children of other European countries. RESULTS: Swiss boys were significantly more active than Swiss girls (788±209 vs. 673±165cpm, p<.01). Total PA of Swiss children was significantly higher on weekdays than on weekends (781±212 vs. 670±241cpm, p<.01). 27.0% of Portuguese children, 14.3% of Swiss children, 13.4% of Norwegian children, 12.0% of Danish children, and 9.8% of Estonian children were classified as overweight or obese. Swiss children (boys: 788±209; girls: 673±165cpm) were more active than Estonian (boys: 778±277; girls: 661±202cpm), Danish (boys: 749±290; girls: 603±213cpm) and Portuguese children (boys: 747±238; girls: 615±158cpm), however less than Norwegian children (boys: 870±307; girls: 741±204cpm). The fraction of time spent at vigorous PA was higher in Swiss children (boys: 6.2±2.8; girls: 4.1±2.0%) than in Estonian (boys: 5.8±3.7; girls: 3.9±2.5%), Portuguese (boys: 5.6±3.5; girls: 3.6±2.2%) and Danish children (boys: 5.3±3.3; girls: 3.2±2.5%), however less than in Norwegian children (boys: 7.4±3.6; girls: 5.4±2.5%). CONCLUSION: Children across Europe seem to have different activity levels depending on sex and country of origin. In general, boys are more active than girls. Furthermore, Norwegian children are the most active followed by Swiss, Estonian, Danish and Portuguese children. This could explain why the best performing children in the Eurofittest come from northern and central European countries. Supported by the Federal council of Sports, Magglingen, Switzerland