School- and Leisure Time Factors Are Associated With Sitting Time of German and Irish Children and Adolescents During School: Results of a DEDIPAC Feasibility Study.

Johanna Sophie Lubasch,Wolfgang Ahrens,Jens Bucksch,Tobias Pischon,Antje Hebestreit,Lara Kim Brackmann,Astrid Steinbrecher,Norman Wirsik,Katharina Nimptsch,Barbara Thumann,Grainne Hayes,Johannes Brug,Alan Donnelly

doi:10.3389/fspor.2020.00093

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to investigate to what extent school- and leisure time-related factors are associated with sedentary behavior during school in German and Irish children and adolescents.Methods: The study based on a sample of 198 children and adolescents surveyed in 2015. Sedentary and activity behavior were measured using the activPAL physical activity monitor. Information on socio-economic status, school- and leisure-time related factors were provided by questionnaires. Associations between school- and leisure time-related factors and sedentary time during school were estimated using linear multi-level models.Results: Access to play equipment in school was associated with reduced sitting time (hours/day) of children (ß = 0.78; 95%CI = 0.06–1.48). Media devices in bedroom and assessing the neighborhood as activity friendly was associated with increased sitting time of children (ß = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.12–1.72 and ß = 0.30; 95%CI = 0.01–0.60, respectively). The permission to use media devices during breaks was associated with increased sitting time (hours/day) of adolescents (ß = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.06–0.69). A less safe traffic surrounding at school was associated with reduced sitting time of adolescents (ß = −0.42; 95% CI = −0.80 to −0.03).Conclusion: Results suggest that school- and leisure time-related factors are associated to the sedentary behavior during school. We suggest that future strategies to reduce sedentary time should consider both contexts.

Highlights

Sedentary behavior (SB) comprises all waking behaviors in a sitting or reclining posture with a low energy expenditure (Tremblay et al, 2017)
The regression analysis showed that those children, who had restricted or no access to play equipment in school, reported a longer sedentary time (ST) (ß = 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.06−1.48) during school compared to children with unrestricted access to play equipment (Table 3)
It was observed that those children living in neighborhoods that were perceived to be less activity friendly had a shorter ST (ß = −0.30; 95%CI = −0.60 to −0.01) compared to children who lived in neighborhoods perceived to be highly activity friendly

Summary

Introduction

Sedentary behavior (SB) comprises all waking behaviors in a sitting or reclining posture with a low energy expenditure (Tremblay et al, 2017). The strength of the association between SB and health outcomes in childhood and adolescence is not yet conclusively researched (Chinapaw et al, 2015; Suchert et al, 2015) there is evidence to suggest that levels of sedentary behavior during adulthood are established from childhood (Biddle et al, 2010). This concludes that reducing ST is an appropriate and important intervention strategy for children and adolescents to develop and adopt a healthy lifestyle. In general higher levels of SB were reported for children from lower socio economic status (SES) background than from higher SES background (Pate et al, 2011)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion