Lower Moderate-to-vigorous Physical Activity Levels Research Articles

Clustering patterns of physical activity, sedentary and dietary behavior among European adolescents: The HELENA study

BackgroundEvidence suggests possible synergetic effects of multiple lifestyle behaviors on health risks like obesity and other health outcomes. A better insight in the clustering of those behaviors, could help to identify groups who are at risk in developing chronic diseases. This study examines the prevalence and clustering of physical activity, sedentary and dietary patterns among European adolescents and investigates if the identified clusters could be characterized by socio-demographic factors.MethodsThe study comprised a total of 2084 adolescents (45.6% male), from eight European cities participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured using self-reported questionnaires and diet quality was assessed based on dietary recall. Based on the results of those three indices, cluster analyses were performed. To identify gender differences and associations with socio-demographic variables, chi-square tests were executed.ResultsFive stable and meaningful clusters were found. Only 18% of the adolescents showed healthy and 21% unhealthy scores on all three included indices. Males were highly presented in the cluster with high levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and low quality diets. The clusters with low levels of MVPA and high quality diets comprised more female adolescents. Adolescents with low educated parents had diets of lower quality and spent more time in sedentary activities. In addition, the clusters with high levels of MVPA comprised more adolescents of the younger age category.ConclusionIn order to develop effective primary prevention strategies, it would be important to consider multiple health indices when identifying high risk groups.

The risk of reduced physical activity in children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder: A prospective longitudinal study

The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder have an increased risk of reduced moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), using data from a large population based study. Prospectively collected data from 4331 children (boys = 2065, girls = 2266) who had completed motor coordination testing at 7 years and accelerometry at 12 years were analysed from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Probable DCD (p-DCD) was defined, using criteria based on the DSM IV classification, as those children below the 15th centile of the ALSPAC Coordination Test at seven years who had a functional impairment in activities of daily living or handwriting, excluding children with a known neurological diagnosis or IQ < 70. Secondary exposure variables consisted of subtests from the ALSPAC Coordination test (manual dexterity, ball skills and balance). Objective measurement of the average daily minutes of MVPA was recorded as ≥3600 counts per minute (cpm) using actigraph accelerometry. Boys with p-DCD were less physically active than boys without DCD (mean difference in MVPA 4.36 cpm, t = 2.69; p = 0.007). For boys, targeting skill (bean bag toss) was related to increased MVPA, after adjustment for confounding factors including neonatal, family and environmental factors as well as Body Mass Index at age seven and 12 years ( β = 0.76, t = 3.37, p < 0.001, CI 0.32–1.20). There was no difference in level of MVPA in girls with and without p-DCD (mean difference 1.35 min, t = 0.97, p = 0.31), which may reflect the low levels of MVPA of girls in this cohort. Our findings suggest that the presence of movement difficulties, particularly poor targeting (bean bag toss/ball skills), at a young age is a potential risk factor for reduced MVPA in boys.

Sedentary Behavior and Obesity in a Large Cohort of Children

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sedentary behavior and obesity among 12-year-old children, while adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and other potential confounding variables. Cross-sectional analyses were carried out with data from 5,434 children who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Fat mass was derived using dual-energy X-ray emission absorptiometry, and height and weight measurements were used to calculate BMI (kg/m(2)). The children wore an accelerometer for 7 days. The cut points for sedentary behavior and MVPA were <or=199 and >or=3,600 counts per minute (cpm), respectively. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs), adjusting for potential confounders of physical activity that included gender, social factors, early life factors, and maturation. The minimally adjusted association between sedentary behavior and obesity was positive, OR = 1.18 (1.08, 1.28). After adjusting for the series of potential confounders of physical activity the positive association remained, OR = 1.32 (1.14, 1.53). The crude association between 15 min of MVPA per day and obesity was negative, OR = 0.54 (0.48, 0.62). When 15 min of MVPA per day was additionally controlled for in the models, the positive associations between sedentary behavior and obesity were negated. Sedentary behavior was positively associated with obesity in the 12-year-old children, but this association was not independent of MVPA; low levels of MVPA among the sedentary children increased the odds of obesity. These findings support the importance of specifically engaging in MVPA during childhood to reduce the prevalence of obesity.

Patterns of Objectively Measured Physical Activity in the United States

We used latent class analysis (LCA) to assess patterns of physical activity among adults, using the 7 d of accelerometer data from the 2003-2004 NHANES. For each participant, we determined the daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA), and minutes of MVPA that occurred in bouts of 10 min. Participants were then categorized into patterns of activity, using LCA and adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. For overall MVPA, five classes of physical activity were defined, including two least active classes, which averaged less than 25 min of MVPA per day and represented 78.7% of the total study population. The most active class averaged 134 min of MVPA per day and comprised 0.9% of the population. The results for bout minutes of MVPA were similar to the patterns produced for overall MVPA, with the exception of a "weekend warrior" class with moderate levels of physical activity Monday through Friday but with a much higher level of activity on the weekend, particularly on Sunday. This class represented 1.8% of the population. Only 1.4% of all days achieved 10 min or more of VPA, and in 91.1% of all days, participants accumulated less than 1 min of VPA. The LCA analysis of VPA did not produce stable results, because of the small number of participants registering any minutes of VPA. Our results indicate that a very large portion of the U.S. population may be classified into patterns of physical activity that represent low levels of MVPA throughout the week. The LCA analysis provided a novel approach for assessing patterns of objectively measured physical activity in epidemiologic studies.

Effects of a physical education intervention to improve student activity levels

Background: School physical education is available to most young people and provides a structured context for physical activity participation. Regular physical activity during childhood can confer acute and long-term health benefits. From this health perspective one of the goals of physical education is for students to take part in appropriate amounts of physical activity during lesson time. However, the diverse aims of physical education (e.g., motor, cognitive, social development, etc.) may hinder achievement of this goal as they can contrast with participation in health-enhancing physical activity. Despite these constraints improving physical activity opportunities during lessons is a worthwhile aspiration and has been a research focus for some time. Purpose: To increase cardio respiratory health-enhancing physical activity levels during girls' gymnastics lessons by manipulating the lesson contexts and teacher behaviours, and to achieve this without compromising other planned lesson objectives Participants and setting: Two classes of 30–32 Year 7 girls (aged 11–12 years) from one co-educational high school in Merseyside, England participated in the study. Classes were randomly appointed to control (CON) and intervention (INT) conditions. Intervention: The key principle of the pedagogical intervention was that the INT teacher including enhanced physical activity levels as an additional planned lesson objective, alongside existing objectives from a gymnastics unit of work. The INT teacher used these slightly modified lesson objectives to underpin the lesson planning and delivery. Research design: The research incorporated a quasi-experimental design whereby both the CON and INT classes were taught gymnastics lessons based on the same unit of work over a six-week period. Following an initial baseline lesson, the CON class participated in lessons planned and taught in the regular way, while the INT class took part in lessons that employed the intervention principles integrated into the planning and delivery. Data collection: Student activity levels, lesson contexts and teacher behaviours were quantified over a six-lesson gymnastics unit using a validated direct observation instrument (SOFIT). After each lesson the CON and INT teachers completed evaluations indicating whether lesson objectives were met. Data analysis: The dependent variables reflected lesson length, student activity levels, lesson contexts and teacher behaviours. Student activity levels included proportions of the time spent at various activity levels and three summary measures of activity, which were, (a) the proportion of lesson time engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), (b) estimated mean energy expenditure rate per child (EER), and (c) estimated total energy expenditure per child per lesson (TEE). Data were analysed between classes using independent t-tests. Findings: Both classes engaged in relatively low levels of MVPA, although the INT students took part in significantly more than the CON students (18.5% vs. 13.5% of lesson time, p < .05). EER was 8% greater among the INT class compared to the CON class (p = .07). TEE was similar between classes, even though CON lessons were 6.4 min longer. Furthermore, INT students had most opportunities for skill practice (43.1% vs. 34.7% of lesson time, p < .05). Both teachers indicated that their planned lesson objectives were achieved. Conclusions: Modest improvements in MVPA can be realised in gymnastics, whose goals and characteristics seemingly contrast with engagement in cardio-respiratory health-enhancing physical activity. Integrating increased MVPA as a lesson objective can optimise students' active participation in lessons.

Comparison and Relationship of VO2peak and Physical Activity Patterns in Elementary and High School Females

Peak cardiorespiratory responses, physical activity patterns, and the association of VO2peak and physical activity were examined in 16 elementary (ES) and 16 high school (HS) females. Peak responses were assessed during treadmill running, and physical activity patterns were examined over two 12-hour weekdays. Results indicated similar relative VO2peak responses between groups (ES: M = 46.8 ml · kg−1 · min−1;HS:M = 46.6 ml · kg−1 · min−1). No statistical differences (p ≤ .05) were noted when moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) were compared. Also, a three-way (Group × HR level × Sustained minutes) ANOVA revealed no statistical differences. A median correlation (r = .27) was found from 8 independent correlations of habitual physical activity and VO2peak. ES and HS appeared similar in regard to VO2peak, accumulative and sustained MVPA and VPA. Low levels of sustained MVPA and VPA (≥ 10 min) were evident in both groups.