Abstract
BackgroundPhysical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration have been associated with body composition among children. The purpose of the present study was to assess the associations of objectively determined daily physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration and body composition indices in 10–12-year-old children.MethodsTwo hundred and eleven schoolchildren (96 boys and 115 girls) aged 10.9 ± 0.7 years participated in this study. Objective physical activity intensity and sedentary levels were measured for seven days by accelerometry. Sleep duration was self-reported. Percentage of body fat, waist-to-height ratio and fat free mass were calculated from measured anthropometric parameters. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between sleep duration, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) level and body composition indices.ResultsBoys exceeded girls (p < 0.05) in time spent in MVPA and VPA levels. Only 4.3% of the children met the current daily recommendation of at least 60 min MVPA per day. Sleep duration, MVPA and VPA had a negative association with percentage of body fat and waist-to-height ratio. Vigorous physical activity had a positive association with fat-free mass. Sedentary time had a positive association with percentage of body fat and negative association with fat-free mass.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that both sleep duration and MVPA are associated with body composition parameters. Higher levels of MVPA are associated with lower percentage of body fat and waist-to-height ratio regardless of sleep duration. Sedentary time is associated with higher values of percentage of body fat and lower fat-free mass independently of sleep duration.
Highlights
Physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration have been associated with body composition among children
Waist circumference (ES = 0.15), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (ES = 0.16) and fat free mass (FFM) (ES = 0.22) were significantly lower in girls compared with boys (p < 0.05)
The main findings of our study were that higher moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) levels were associated with lower body fat% and WHtR values in 10–12-years-old children regardless of the sleep duration
Summary
Sedentary time, and sleep duration have been associated with body composition among children. The purpose of the present study was to assess the associations of objectively determined daily physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration and body composition indices in 10–12-year-old children. Insufficient levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), high levels of sedentary time, and short sleep duration have all been associated with higher levels of adiposity among children and adolescents in several recent investigations [1,2,3]. Chaput et al [8] found that higher levels of MVPA are associated with lower adiposity regardless of sedentary time and sleep duration in 9–11-year-old children. Hjorth et al [9] reported that low PA and short sleep duration were independently associated with higher fat mass index in 8–11-year-old children. In the light of abovementioned findings it could be expected that both sleep duration and PA might be associated with healthy body composition
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