Physical Activity Patterns In Adolescents Research Articles

Physical Activity Patterns in Adolescents and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

ABSTRACT Introduction Limited information exists on the descriptive epidemiology of physical activity (PA) in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to report device-measured PA and sedentary time for individuals with ID (age 10–70 yr) eligible to participate in PA promotion (i.e., self-reported PA <60–90 min·wk−1) and weight loss (i.e., body mass index ≥25 kg·m−2) clinical trials. We aimed to examine patterns of PA by diagnosis within a day and across days and US meteorological seasons. Methods This cross-sectional study used baseline accelerometer data from individuals with ID participating in clinical trials. The Troiano adult and Freedson child cut-points were used to classify sedentary time and PA, and Wilcoxon rank sum or Kruskal–Wallis tests assessed differences by age, diagnosis, weekday versus weekend, time of day, and season. Mixed effects linear regressions explored the effect of time of day, weekend, and season on PA and sedentary time. Results There were 330 individuals (57% female) who had valid wear time with an average of 14 ± 18 min·d−1 of moderate-to-vigorous PA (age 10–17 yr: 13 ± 16 min·d−1; age 18–24 yr: 18 ± 23 min·d−1; age ≥25 yr: 12 ± 13 min·d−1). Fewer minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA were observed on the weekends (β = −0.10, P < 0.001) and in the morning (before 0900 h, β = −0.23, P < 0.001) and evening (after 1900 h, β = −0.32, P < 0.001) compared to weekdays and late afternoon (1500–1659h). Conclusion The promotion of PA to individuals with ID is needed, particularly during times when these individuals are not in school or at work (i.e., mornings, evenings, and weekends). Future research should explore PA patterns in adolescents and adults with ID who are normal weight and regularly participating in PA, sport, and fitness programs.

Associations between organised sports participation, general health, stress, screen-time and sleep duration in adolescents.

Physical activity patterns in adolescents have been associated with general health. Stress, screen-time and sleep are other factors associated with physical activity that influence health in adolescents. Physical activity accounts for several health benefits; however, the impact of organised sports participation to achieve the same health benefits are less explored. This study explored the associations of organised sports participation with general health, stress, screen-time and sleep-duration in adolescents. For this cross-sectional study, data from 1139 adolescents (age 13-14 years) from 34 schools were analysed. Data were collected during autumn 2019. Data collection consisted of self-reported questionnaires and standard methods for height and weight measurements. Adolescents with organised sports participation ≥3 times/week were twice as likely to report better general health (OR: 2.11, CI: 1.45-3.07) and lower screen-time (OR: 1.98, CI: 1.43-2.74). Adolescents with organised sports participation ≥3 times/week were less likely to meet the recommended sleep-duration on weekdays (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.29-0.65). Adolescents with frequent organised sports participation had better general health, lower amounts of screen-time and shorter sleep-duration on weekdays than those with no participation. Although the causal relationships remain unknown, these results can be relevant when developing strategies promoting physical activity and health in adolescents.

Physical Activity Pattern Before and during the COVID-19 Lockdown among Adolescents in Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Many countries have issued “stay at home” orders to combat the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which may have hampered movement in people of all ages. This may impact adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior, screen time, etc. AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess changes in physical activity and screen time before and during the first and second COVID-19 lockdown among adolescents in Indonesia. METHODS: This study was a national web-based survey distributed through social media platforms in Indonesia. A snowball sampling method was used to recruit participants. The final sample included 5650 participants who had provided complete information for the research topic. RESULTS: Physical activity patterns of adolescents had dramatically shifted during COVID-19 lockdown, with disparities between genders and educational levels. The majority of adolescents had maintained their physical activity levels, with 34.4% of those who engaged in active transportation and 67.3% of those who walked; while, the remaining adolescents had experienced a decrease in physical activity (30.1%–63.1%). Adolescents had maintained their sleeping (about 50%) and screen time (31.4%), but almost 40% had decreased their sleeping time and 60.5% had significantly increased their screen time. Furthermore, when compared to their peers who had maintained their sedentary time before to COVID-19, more adolescents had increased their sedentary time throughout both schooldays and weekends (about 54%). CONCLUSION: This large-scale nationwide survey could be valuable for stakeholders, when deciding when and how to relax restrictions in the future. In addition, school administrators should be aware of these changes so that in-class and/or extracurricular physical programs can be developed to offset the effects of these changes.

253 Physical activity patterns in adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have lower levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and a greater risk for sedentary-related comorbidities compared to their typically developing peers. Understanding activity patterns may provide opportunities for targeted physical activity interventions. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Secondary analyses were performed on baseline accelerometer data pooled from 2 clinical trials and a pilot study in adolescents (11-17 years) and young adults (18-21 years) with IDD. MVPA was assessed using accelerometers worn on the non-dominant hip during waking hours over 7 consecutive days. Data were collected at 60 hertz and activity counts were aggregated over 60 second epochs. Wear time was determined with the Choi algorithm and MVPA was classified using the Troiano adult or Freedson age-specific child cut-points. Mixed effects linear regressions were used to determine the effects of day of the week, time of the day, and season on MVPA. Diagnosis, gender, and age were used as fixed effect covariates with random intercepts varying among the participants and days of observation within each participant. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: There were 231 individuals (15.6 ± 2.8 years, 51.5% female) who had IDD (36.8% Autism, 48.1% Down syndrome) with 22,498 minutes of MVPA. Individuals with IDD wore the accelerometers an average of 592 ± 254 min./day and completed 13.5 ± 17.9 min./day of MVPA. Average MVPA was lowest in individuals with Autism (12.6 ± 11.4 min./day) and Down syndrome (13.2 ± 9.3 min./day) when compared to those with other IDDs (16.8 ± 10.8 min./day). Participation in MVPA was similar in males (13.4 ± 10.7 min./day) and females (13.7 ± 9.9 min./day). Mixed effects linear regressions showed that individuals participated in fewer minutes of MVPA on the weekend (β = -0.75, p < 0.001) and from 12-3 pm (reference) when compared to before 12 pm (β = 0.87, p < 0.001) and 3-7 pm (β = 0.66, p=0.007). No significant seasonal effects were found. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Individuals with IDD were significantly less active on the weekend, but they did participate in more minutes of MVPA in the morning and late afternoon/early evening. Physical activity interventions aiming to increase MVPA on the weekend and during the early afternoon may increase the number of weekly minutes of MVPA in individuals with IDD.

Adolescent Food Habits and Its Association with Overweight and Obesity among Female Students in Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia

Background: Adolescence is a period of extreme growth changes.Malnutrition along with the adolescencegrowth changes has significant effects for maternal and neonatal wellbeing. Bad sequences in the prenatalperiod and childbearing are the most important reason of deathsin adolescent girls aged 15–19 years. Aim: Toassess the overall dietary “Food Habits” of adolescent girls. Also, to assess the relationship between obesity,food habits and physical activity patterns in adolescents. Subjects and Method: A quantitative-correlationalresearch design was utilized. A Cluster random sampling strategy was used. The study conducted at sixmiddle and high schools, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The three sectors covered through two schools from eachsector.The survey was conducted among 593 female school students between November 2019 –January2020. The questionnaire contained two sections. Ethical approval obtained from the Education Departmentof Ministry of Education after obtaining approval from the College of Applied Medical Sciences Researchand Ethical Committee. Results: The mean of body mass index of the participants was 21.1±3.5. It wasclear that (23.6%) of the participants were underweight, while (67.1%) were within normal weight and(7.9%) were overweight and (1.4%) were obese. Near to half of the participants (47.1%) did not make anydaily activity.(19.2%)of the participants took supplementation medicine. Adolescent Food Habits Checklist(AFHC) Score was low between the schoolgirls. Conclusion: The current study reinforced that AdolescentFood Habits Checklist (AFHC) Score was at a low level among the schoolgirls. Near to half of the adolescentdid not make any daily physical training. While range of the physical activity was from (15-30) minutes perday.

The Use of Social Networks and Physical Activity Patterns of Adolescents in Obesity Therapy - A Sociodemographic Stratified Analysis

The improvement of existing obesity treatment for children and adolescents requires knowledge about social and personal conditions, individual needs, and life style. From particular importance are information about physical activity and media use, in order to target and adjust content and methods of therapy interventions. In 2013, 510 adolescents aged 11 to 17 years participated in a survey on above named factors. Physical activities were conducted with friends (64%) and in sport clubs (43%). Girls (OR 0.55) and children of unemployed parents (OR 0.28) had reduced chances to participate in sports clubs. Through social media social networks, primarily Facebook, were widely used. The use of the network functions differed among socio-demographic groups. Participants who completed obesity treatments expressed their desire to share their experience with other treatment participants (79%) and with the therapy team (37%). The results indicate the need for individualised treatment approaches.

Perception of physical activity patterns among adolescents attending adolescent friendly services at school campus: A Focus Group Discussion Study

Lack of physical activity among young adolescents is growing concern and it needs a deeper understanding to gain information regarding barriers to activity and exercise. Studying the adolescents in the school campus for their activity patterns would serve as a rich source of information about their actual practices and barriers to physical activity. Many studies provide an over view of adolescent physical activity patterns and report that around a large proportion of adolescent do not participate in adequate activity and exercise. The main aim of this study was to describe in depth the perception of physical activity patterns and explore the reasons for low level of physical activity among adolescents attending adolescent friendly center services. A focus group discussion was organized and a sample of 20 adolescents from the selected school was conducted. The data were analyzed using a descriptive narrative qualitative approach where adolescents reported their physical activity patterns, reasons for their low level of physical activity and measures to overcome the barriers during the discussion. The qualitative analysis brought out 4 themes namely physical and biological barriers, psychosocial, academic barriers, socio-cultural barriers. The study findings recommend future research to arrive at implementing the practical solutions to defeat the barriers and increase the physical activity among adolescents.

The physical activity patterns of adolescents with intellectual disabilities: A descriptive study

BackgroundEmerging data suggest that adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs) have lower physical activity (PA) levels and have a higher incidence of obesity than their peers without IDs. ObjectiveTo examine daily PA patterns (weekdays vs. weekend days) of adolescents with IDs among boys and girls. The contributions of PA at school, including school recesses and physical education time, and PA outside of school were also analyzed. MethodsParticipants included forty-nine adolescents with mild to moderate IDs (mean 15.3 years) from the Valencia region (Spain). Adolescents wore a pedometer for seven consecutive days to measure PA objectively and filled in a daily activity log. Mean steps for weekdays, weekend days, and for the different day segments were calculated and compared. ResultsThis study indicates significant differences in daily PA levels between boys and girls (12,630 and 9599 steps respectively; p < 0.05). Girls were less active than boys on weekdays (13,872 vs. 9868 steps; p = 0.016), during school time (7097 vs. 4802 steps; p = 0.005), and during school recesses (1953 vs. 1147 steps; p = 0.033). Boys showed higher levels of PA on weekdays compared to weekend days (13,872 vs. 10,188 steps; p = 0.015) and PA at school represented 50% of the participants' daily PA in both genders. There were no differences comparing weight status groups (normal vs. overweight/obese) in PA levels either on weekdays or weekend days. ConclusionsThese findings provide an empirical basis for interventions to increase PA levels among adolescents with IDs.

Quantitative physical activity assessment of children and adolescents in a rural population from Eastern Nepal.

We report cross-sectional, objectively measured physical activity data for 399 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years. We evaluated physical activity of children and adolescents, considered time spent in each activity intensity category, and explored the impact of growth disruption (stunting and wasting) on physical activity patterns. Participants wore an Actical (Mini-Mitter, Bend, OR) omnidirectional accelerometer for one week as part of their annual visit to the Jiri Growth Study. The percentage of time spent in standard activity intensities were computed using standard metabolic equivalents (METS) cutpoints and compared by chronological age, sex, and school versus non-school days. Primary findings include (1) children are more active on non-school days and adolescents are more active during the school week; (2) Jirel children do not exhibit the reduction in physical activity that most Western populations experience during the transition from childhood to adolescence; and (3) Jirel children and adolescents routinely meet the suggested one hour/day MVPA threshold; (4) Stunting is prevalent and factors leading to this growth disruption may contribute to the amount of time in sedentary or light physical activity. We report child and adolescent physical activity patterns from the Jirel population of eastern Nepal. In this rural context, children and adolescents are more active than populations reported from Western contexts. This key finding has important biomedical implications for the maintenance of healthy body composition, skeletal health, and other health traits.

Physical Activity Patterns of Adolescents by Wrist-worn Geneactiv Accelerometer

PURPOSE: Measurement of physical activity (PA) using GENEActiv monitors placed on the wrist is becoming more widely accepted due to increased compliance over waist monitors. Little data is available about adolescent PA measured at the wrist. The objective of this study is to describe the PA characteristics of a sample of high school students, overall and by sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, and day of the week. METHODS: In Spring of 2014, 207 students in grades 9 and 10 at 4 predominantly Hispanic high schools wore an accelerometer for 7 days. Valid data from 186 accelerometer records were evaluated to determine average minutes (min) of daily activity. Because adolescent cut-points for the GENEActiv have not been developed, adult cut-points were used to determine PA intensities: Sedentary/Light (S/L), Moderate (M), Moderate to Vigorous (MV), and Vigorous (V). T-tests were used to compare average min of PA by sex, Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic ethnicity, underweight/normal weight vs. overweight/obese weight status and day of the week. RESULTS: On average, adolescents accumulated 906 (95% CI: 894-920), 138 (95% CI: 131-145), 164 (95% CI: 153-174), and 25 (95% CI: 20-31) daily min of S/L, M, MV, and V activity, respectively. 98% of adolescents met the guidelines to do 60 min or more of MV PA per day. Compared to girls, boys did 9 min more of V (p = 0.006) activity. There were no significant differences in levels of S/L, M, and MV activity by gender, and in any level of activity by ethnicity or weight status. Average weekday MV min (164, 95% CI: 158 - 169) and V min (25, 95% CI: 23-27) were significantly higher than weekend MV min (127, 95% CI: 119 - 135, p<0.001) and V min (20, 95% CI: 17-22, p<0.001). Students were most active on Friday and least active on Sunday. CONCLUSIONS: Based on PA measured at the wrist, most students met the 2008 PA guidelines. This may be attributable to wrist vs. waist measurements and to the initial novelty of wearing the activity monitor. Based on our examination of PA levels by sex and weight status, we suggest that interventions for increasing PA and managing weight in adolescents may benefit from focusing on increasing weekend PA, increasing vigorous PA among girls, and by not automatically assuming that overweight/obese students have lower PA levels compared to other students. Supported by NIH Grant R0I HL118734

Decreased levels of physical activity in adolescents with down syndrome are related with low bone mineral density: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDown syndrome (DS) has been described as one of the main contributors for low bone mineral density (BMD). Physical activity (PA) is a key factor in skeletal health and thus, PA levels might be associated to the risk of developing osteoporosis. Therefore, the aims were (1) to describe PA patterns in adolescents with DS compared to their counterparts and (2) to determine the relationships between PA and the risk of having low bone mass in adolescents with DS.MethodsNineteen adolescents (10 girls) with DS and 14 without disabilities (7 girls) participated in the study. Minutes in different PA intensities were objectively assessed with accelerometers (ActiTrainer). Moreover adolescents with DS were classified into PA tertiles taking into account the amount of total minutes of PA at any intensity, resulting in those performing low, medium or high of PA (lowPA, medPA and highPA). BMD was measured at the whole body, hip and lumbar spine with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the BMD Z-score was calculated for each region taking into account age- and sex-matched reference data. Student’s unpaired t-tests and analysis of covariance were used to compare variables between different conditions (DS vs. control) and PA levels (low, medium and high).ResultsNone of the adolescents with DS achieved the minimum of 60 min of daily moderate to vigorous PA (VPA) intensity recommended by PA guidelines; adolescents with DS group spent less time in sedentary and in VPA and more time in light PA than those without DS (p < 0.05). Adolescents with DS showed lower BMD Z-score values than those without (p < 0.05). Those adolescents with DS allocated in the lowPA tertile showed significant lower BMD Z-score at the hip and a general tendency towards lower BMD Z-score was found at whole body and lumbar spine compared to those in highPA tertile and (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAdolescents with DS in the highPA tertile showed lower risk of developing future osteoporosis by having higher BMD Z-score at the hip. This data provides an idea regarding the importance of accumulated minutes of PA, and not only moderate or vigorous in the bone health in adolescents with DS.

Intervention effects on physical activity: the HEIA study - a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAlthough school-based interventions to promote physical activity in adolescents have been suggested in several recent reviews, questions have been raised regarding the effects of the strategies and the methodology applied and for whom the interventions are effective. The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of a school-based intervention program: the HEalth in Adolescents (HEIA) study, on change in physical activity, and furthermore, to explore whether potential effects varied by gender, weight status, initial physical activity level and parental education level.MethodsThis was a cluster randomized controlled 20 month intervention study which included 700 11-year-olds. Main outcome-variable was mean count per minute (cpm) derived from ActiGraph accelerometers (Model 7164/GT1M). Weight and height were measured objectively. Adolescents reported their pubertal status in a questionnaire and parents reported their education level on the consent form. Linear mixed models were used to test intervention effects and to account for the clustering effect of sampling by school.ResultsThe present study showed an intervention effect on overall physical activity at the level of p = 0.05 with a net effect of 50 cpm increase from baseline to post intervention in favour of the intervention group (95% CI −0.4, 100). Subgroup analyses showed that the effect appeared to be more profound among girls (Est 65 cpm, CI 5, 124, p = 0.03) and among participants in the low-activity group (Est 92 cpm, CI 41, 142, p < 0.001), as compared to boys and participants in the high-activity group, respectively. Furthermore, the intervention affected physical activity among the normal weight group more positively than among the overweight, and participants with parents having 13–16 years of education more positively than participants with parents having either a lower or higher number of years of education. The intervention seemed to succeed in reducing time spent sedentary among girls but not among boys.ConclusionsA comprehensive but feasible, multi-component school-based intervention can affect physical activity patterns in adolescents by increasing overall physical activity. This intervention effect seemed to be more profound in girls than boys, low-active adolescents compared to high-active adolescents, participants with normal weight compared to the overweight, and for participants with parents of middle education level as opposed to those with high and low education levels, respectively. An implementation of the HEIA intervention components in the school system may have a beneficial effect on public health by increasing overall physical activity among adolescents and possibly among girls and low-active adolescents in particular.

Association between sedentary behaviour and socioeconomic factors, diet and lifestyle among the Balearic Islands adolescents.

BackgroundMany different factors influenced food habits and physical activity patterns of adolescents in a complex interactive way. The aim of this study was to assess association between sedentary behaviour and socioeconomic factors, diet and lifestyle among the Balearic Islands adolescents.MethodsA cross-sectional survey (n = 1961; 12–17 years old) was carried out. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for adolescents (IPAQ-A). Sedentary behaviour was defined as <300 min/week of moderate and vigorous physical activity. Anthropometric measurements, body image, socio-economic and lifestyle determinants, food consumption, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were assessed.ResultsThe prevalence of sedentary behaviour was 37.1% (22.0% boys, 50.8% girls). Active boys consumed frequently breakfast cereals and fresh fruit; active girls yogurt, cheese, breakfast cereals, and fresh fruit; and sedentary girls high fat foods and soft drinks. Sedentary behaviour of girls was directly associated to age, and time spent on media screen and homework, and inversely related to adherence to Mediterranean diet, and body composition. Sedentary behaviour of boys was inversely related to adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and the desire to remain the same weight.ConclusionsThe prevalence of sedentary behaviour among Balearic Islands adolescents is high, mainly among girls. Age, sex, parental educational and profession levels, body size dissatisfaction, and poor quality diet are important factors of physical activity practice among adolescents.

Childhood and adolescent physical activity patterns and adult physical activity.

A major research priority is the influence of childhood and adolescent physical activity patterns on adult physical activity. The research in this area is inconsistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships among specific components of physical activity during childhood and adolescence and exercise habits in adulthood. We analyzed preteen and teenage experiences, individual and team sports, and several psychosocial variables. One hundred and five male volunteers completed questionnaires about their current (estimated energy expenditure (EE)) and historic physical activity and a treadmill stress test. Based on correlations and regression analyses, without and with controlling for potentially confounding variables (treadmill run time and sum of skinfolds), the frequency of being forced to exercise and the frequency of being encouraged to exercise during the preteen years were inversely related to adult physical activity. Being forced to exercise during the preteen years was more related to participation in individual sports than to participation in team sports or both individual and team sports. Being forced to exercise during childhood may have potentially negative consequences for later activity. The findings indicate that experiences related to participation in activity during childhood and adolescence may influence adult physical activity. The implications of our findings are discussed and future research is recommended.

The epidemiology of leisure physical activity in an adolescent population

A cohort of 1245 adolescents, 12-16 yr old and participating in a prospective study of risk factors for injury, were surveyed annually to assess past year leisure physical activity. This report describes the development and reproducibility of the questionnaire and provides the descriptive epidemiology of leisure physical activity in adolescents. The questionnaire was self-administered twice, a year apart, and had a 1 yr test-retest rank order correlation of 0.55. The past year estimate of leisure activity was also shown to be related to fitness (rho = -0.37), which was defined as the time needed to complete a 1-mile run. Males reported significantly more activity than females (P < 0.05) and whites reported more activity than nonwhites (P < 0.05). However, socioeconomic status was not found to be a determinant of activity levels in either males or females. In females, a negative association between activity and age was found (P < 0.05); however, this association was not evident in males. In summary, an activity questionnaire has been developed and was shown to be both reproducible and feasible. Therefore, it was used to examine habitual leisure physical activity patterns of adolescents.