Activity Patterns Of Youth Research Articles

Can consumer grade activity devices replace research grade actiwatches in youth mental health settings?

Mental health services increasingly recognize the benefits of monitoring sleep and activity patterns in youth. Objective, ecological monitoring via research grade actiwatches is valid, but an emerging literature suggests using cheaper, consumer grade activity tracking devices. This study aimed to compare the cross-validity of these devices, and their feasibility and usability in youth mental health settings. A convenience sample of 13 individuals recruited from youth mental health settings wore a consumer grade and research grade activity device for seven consecutive days. The five most frequently reported sleep and activity variables extracted directly from each device were compared using paired t tests, mean average percentage errors, and magnitude and direction of biases. Ten individuals provided usable recordings of sleep and activity parameters. Compared to the actiwatch recordings (criterion values), the consumer grade device showed systematic biases in the recording of total sleep time (overestimated by about an hour) and waking after sleep onset (underestimated by about half an hour). The consumer grade device was most reliable for monitoring daytime sedentary behaviour. However, participant feedback indicated that youth preferred the consumer grade device. The findings suggest that it is inappropriate to substitute actiwatches with commercial activity trackers in research setting, as the latter are probably insufficient for precision diagnostics or stratification of cases into treatment relevant subgroups. Consumer grade devices are more acceptable to youth, so they may be clinically useful for monitoring intra-individual where absolute accuracy is not required.

Physical Activity Patterns in Youth With Intellectual Disabilities.

The aim of this study was to assess the physical activity (PA) patterns of youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). PA was monitored for 7 days in 70 participants, 5-15 years old, using accelerometers. There were 32 participants included in the final analysis. Habitual PA and the number of continuous bouts accrued for a range of bout lengths (5-600 s) for light (LPA), moderate (MPA), and vigorous (VPA) PA were calculated. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to assess differences in the number of continuous bouts by sex, age, and ID group and between week and weekend days. Participants exhibited short sporadic bursts of activity. The number of continuous bouts decreased as the intensity and duration increased. Few differences in PA patterns were reported by sex, ID group, and age group and between week and weekend days, possibly due to the generally low PA levels in this population.

Mood and Ambulatory Monitoring of Physical Activity Patterns in Youth with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Study ObjectiveTo provide initial insight into physical activity patterns and predictors of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in youth with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by using a multisensor activity monitor. DesignCross-sectional study analyzing baseline MVPA data using real-time continuous monitoring of physical activity. Body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms were examined as predictors of MVPA. SettingA large, urban children's hospital in the United States. ParticipantsThirty-five youth (aged 12 to 21 years) previously diagnosed with PCOS (mean BMI = 38.0 kg/m2; mean age = 15.4 years, 79% white) who were participants in a behavioral lifestyle intervention. Main Outcome MeasuresTotal steps, total MVPA, longest continuous bout of MVPA, and frequency of MVPA bouts lasting for 5 to 9 minutes and 10 or more minutes. ResultsSixty percent of youth averaged at least 1 daily MVPA bout lasting 10 or more minutes, and 14% averaged a daily MVPA bout lasting 30 or more minutes. BMI was negatively correlated with MVPA bout duration (P = .04). Parental ratings of depression, but not self-report ratings, were predictive of participants' total MVPA (β = −.46; P = .01), number of 5- to 9-minute bouts (β = −.39; P = .03), and bouts of 10 or more minutes (β = −.35; P = .05). ConclusionYouth with PCOS may benefit from being prescribed multiple bouts of MVPA lasting less than 30 continuous minutes to meet national recommendations and achieve health benefits. BMI and parental endorsement of child's depression symptoms may be important to consider when assessing and prescribing MVPA to youth with PCOS.

Walking activity patterns in youth with cerebral palsy and youth developing typically

Purpose: To describe daily walking stride rate patterns of young children with cerebral palsy (CP) as compared to a typically developing youth (TDY) cohort relative to age and functional level. Method: A cross-sectional comparison cohort study compared 209 youth with CP with 368 TDY aged 2–13 years. Youth with CP had Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I–III with 60% bilateral involvement and 79% spastic. Five days of StepWatch data were averaged and classified into low, moderate and high stride rates. Group differences were examined by t-test and analysis of variance. Results: Children with CP walk significantly less each day than TDY (F = 245, p ≤ 0.001) and differ by GMFCS (F = 1.51, p < 0.001). TDY walk a similar number of strides in low and moderate stride rates each day while youth with CP do not. TDY attained high stride rates (>60 strides/min) for 8 min/d with levels I–III at 4.0, 3.2 and 0.53 min/d, respectively. Conclusions: The relative relationship of walking intensity levels within total daily stride activity differs for youth with CP as compared to TDY. The influence of functional walking ability on walking stride activity levels and intensity does not appear to differ significantly across age groups.Implications for RehabilitationLimitation in the ability to attain moderate stride-rate intensity, regardless of total number of strides taken each day for ambulatory youth with CP, is a potential area of focus for intervention.Understanding of stride activity levels and intensity in youth with CP may be employed to focus rehabilitation strategies to enhance habitual walking activity.Community-based stride rate data has potential as an effectiveness outcome for rehabilitation strategies focused on walking (i.e. orthopedic surgery, orthoses and injections therapies).

Intérêt et techniques de la mesure de l’activité physique chez l’enfant et l’adolescent dans les conditions habituelles de vie

Physical activity accounts for 25-30 % of total daily energy expenditure. Total energy expenditure varies according to the physical activity, which can be voluntarily modulated. Assessment of physical activity is therefore an important factor in the promotion of health and in several childhood and adolescent pathological situations. Questionnaires are widely used for assessing physical activity patterns in youth because of their low cost and ease of use, but they systematically overestimate physical activity. Heart rate monitoring requires individual calibration in the laboratory and a number of factors other than physical activity can affect heart rate (i.e., stress, temperature, etc.). Pedometers are objective devices but give only information on the number of steps and do not assess physical activity patterns. Accelerometers seem the best compromise between feasibility and validity in the assessment of physical activity in children in free-living conditions because this is an objective and accurate method whose cost is low. The choice of the type of device depends on the objectives of the clinician or researcher.

Walking Stride Rate Patterns in Children and Youth

To describe walking activity patterns in youth who are typically developing (TD) using a novel analysis of stride data and compare to youth with cerebral palsy (CP) and arthrogryposis (AR). Stride rate curves were developed from 5 days of StepWatch data for 428 youth ages 2 to 16 years who were TD. Patterns of stride rates changed with age in the TD group (P = .03 to < .001). Inactivity varied with age (P < .001); peak stride rate decreased with age (P < .001). Curves were stable over a 2-week time frame (P = .38 to .95). Youth with CP and AR have lower stride rate patterns (P = .04 to .001). This is the first documentation of pediatric stride-rate patterns within the context of daily life. Including peak stride rates and levels of walking activity, this single visual format has potential clinical and research applications.

Physical Activity Patterns in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to examine age-related physical activity patterns in youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Thirty youth, aged 10-19 years, were divided into three groups: elementary (n=9), middle (n=9) and high (n=12) school. Participants wore an accelerometer and completed an activity questionnaire for seven consecutive days. The main findings were that (a) elementary youth are more active than the other groups, regardless type of day or time period, and (b) there are no consistent patterns in physical activity of youth with ASD according to day or time period. Findings emphasize that interventions for this population should address increasing extracurricular physical activity options during adolescence.

The “Untracking” of Sedentary Living: A Call for Action

An important national health goal is to decrease the rate of sedentary living among Americans. Current baseline data suggest that 40% of those 18 and over do no regular leisure physical activity. Many studies suggest that there is a low to moderate relationship among youth activity and sedentary living. Some believe that getting the physical activity patterns of youth to “track” to adulthood could be the solution to reducing adult sedentary living. However, because activity generally decreases with age, a more important goal is to “untrack” activity. Specifically, steps must be taken in adolescence to help teens get “untracked” from their ever-decreasing activity levels. To accomplish this we must teach activities that will “track” to adulthood and teach self-management skills that can lead to a lifetime of active living.

Changes in common activities of 3rd through 10th graders: the CHIC Study

This study was a longitudinal examination of the change in both the activities done and the intensity of those activities from childhood to adolescence. Common activities were assessed by questionnaire initially on 656 subjects from 21 elementary schools; 50.5% were female, 83.4% were Caucasian, 20.6% African-American, and 6.0% were other races. Girls more often reported sedentary activities overall. Weighted least squares analyses showed boys consistently reported more vigorous activities than girls (P < 0.0008). African-American girls reported fewer vigorous activities than Caucasian or other race girls (P = 0.027). Sedentary activities were more frequently reported with increasing age (X2 P < 0.001). The youngest African-American and Caucasian boys reported similar activity patterns. However, boys from other races reported more intense activities until sixth and seventh grades when African-American boys began reporting more sedentary activities than Caucasians or other races (P = 0.004). During sixth-eighth grades, Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models show that girls with more advanced pubertal status reported more sedentary activities than girls who were less developed (P < 0.0001). For high school girls, race was a marginally significant predictor (P = 0.05) of activity status. Neither race nor pubertal status were significant factors in activities chosen by middle school boys. However, for male high school students, Caucasians were more likely than African-Americans to report vigorous activities (P = 0.005). Variation in activities by race within gender suggests that establishing activity patterns in youth may be race-specific as well as gender-specific and must be accounted for in designing physical activity interventions. Also, pubertal maturation is a factor in activity choices in middle school girls.