Abstract
Organized and unorganized physical activity (PA) hold an important role in the daily life of children and adolescents. Regular representative tracking of PA in different settings is important to evaluate social trends and implemented interventions. In this paper, representative PA data of German children and adolescents from the MoMo Baseline-Study (2004, n = 4528) are compared to those of Wave 1 (2010, n = 3994). Participants aged 4–17 were drawn out of 167 sample points in Germany and the data was weighted to ensure representativeness. PA was measured via questionnaire and was differentiated between organized (sports clubs and schools) and unorganized (unorganized sports and playing outside). Organized PA in extracurricular activities and sports clubs increased by eight percent, while unorganized PA decreased by seven percent. In addition to sports clubs, schools became a more prevalent setting for participation in physical activity in Germany.
Highlights
The health benefits of physical activity (PA) during childhood and adolescence are well documented [1], and an active lifestyle during childhood is an important factor in preventing disease in adulthood [2,3,4]
We report the Motorik-Modul Study (MoMo) PA data of two representative cross-sectional samples of children and adolescents, 2003–2006 (Baseline) and 2009–2012 (Wave 1), and discuss changes in different settings
The representative data from the MoMo study about children and adolescents in Germany shows an increase in organized PA, paralleled by a decrease in unorganized PA
Summary
The health benefits of physical activity (PA) during childhood and adolescence are well documented [1], and an active lifestyle during childhood is an important factor in preventing disease in adulthood [2,3,4]. In a global study about the PA of children and adolescents, Tremblay and colleagues reported low levels of PA in 10 out of 15 participating countries and noted that there is strong evidence for a “childhood physical activity crisis” [6]. Numbers of physically inactive children and adolescents vary widely across nations, there is consensus about some variables that are consistently associated with children’s PA. Some of those variables, such as perceived barriers, perceived activity competence, program/facility access, parental support, and time spent outdoors [8] clearly identify a child’s environment as a crucial factor for their PA. Many nations report a decline in active transport [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
