Research priorities for child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviours: an international perspective using a twin-panel Delphi procedure

Lauren Gillis,Ralph Maddison,Trish Gorely,Ester Cerin,Jorge Mota,Gareth Stratton,Jeremy Dorovolomo,Kent Kawalski,Michael Chia,Vincent Onywera,Willem Van Mechelen,Lars Bo Andersen,Carla Moreira,Kashef Zayed,Ian Janssen,Candice J Christie ,Tim Olds ,Non E Thomas ,Grant R Tomkinson ,Manuel Vizuete Carrizosa ,Michael J Hamlin ,John J Reilly ,Mark S Tremblay ,Stuart J H Biddle ,Esther M F Van Sluijs ,Claudio R Nigg

doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-112

Abstract

BackgroundThe quantity and quality of studies in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour have rapidly increased, but research directions are often pursued in a reactive and uncoordinated manner.AimTo arrive at an international consensus on research priorities in the area of child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour.MethodsTwo independent panels, each consisting of 12 experts, undertook three rounds of a Delphi methodology. The Delphi methodology required experts to anonymously answer questions put forward by the researchers with feedback provided between each round.ResultsThe primary outcome of the study was a ranked set of 29 research priorities that aimed to be applicable for the next 10 years. The top three ranked priorities were: developing effective and sustainable interventions to increase children’s physical activity long-term; policy and/or environmental change and their influence on children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour; and prospective, longitudinal studies of the independent effects of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health.ConclusionsThese research priorities can help to guide decisions on future research directions.

Highlights

The quantity and quality of studies in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour have rapidly increased, but research directions are often pursued in a reactive and uncoordinated manner
Recent research has shown that both physical activity and sedentary behaviour are associated with a wide range of current and future health outcomes [1,2,3]
The aim of this study was to arrive at a set of international research priorities for physical activity and sedentary behaviour to guide more meaningful and focussed research

Summary

Introduction

The quantity and quality of studies in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour have rapidly increased, but research directions are often pursued in a reactive and uncoordinated manner. A large quantity of research is being conducted into the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children, yet the research community remains challenged to provide a solid evidence base [10]. This is in part due to a lack of international research collaboration and a high degree of study repetition. This study aimed to answer the following research question: “What are the most important international research issues for the 10 years in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour?” Agreement on research priorities may help to inform evidence-based policy, guide funding allocation, and direct research options for postgraduate students [11,12]

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