Physical Activity Patterns In Youth Research Articles

How Societal Forces of Change Are Transforming Youth Physical Activity Promotion in North America.

Climate change, increasing recognition of institutionalized discrimination, and the COVID-19 pandemic are large-scale, societal events (ie,forces of change) that affect the timing, settings, and modes of youth physical activity. Despite the impact that forces of change have on youth physical activity and physical activity environments, few studies consider how they affect physical activity promotion. The authors use 2 established frameworks, the ecological model of physical activity and the youth physical activity timing, how, and setting framework, to highlight changes in physical activity patterns of youth in North America that have resulted from contemporary forces of change. North American countries-Canada, Mexico, and the United States-have faced similar but contextually different challenges for promoting physical activity in response to climate change, increasing recognition of institutionalized discrimination, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovative applications of implementation science, digital health technologies, and community-based participatory research methodologies may be practical for increasing and sustaining youth physical activity in response to these forces of change. Thoughtful synthesis of existing physical activity frameworks can help to guide the design and evaluation of new and existing physical activity initiatives. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers are encouraged to carefully consider the intended and unintended consequences of actions designed to respond to forces of change.

Objective and Subjective Physical Activity Levels in Austrian Middle School Students

Background: Insufficient physical activity is considered a major threat to future public health as many children and adolescents do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity (PA), despite the well-documented health benefits. The evaluation of ongoing efforts as well as future intervention strategies, however, requires an accurate assessment of PA. Aim: The present study, therefore, examined differences between objectively and subjectively determined PA in 36 Austrian adolescents (52.8% male; 13.5 ± 0.5 years of age). Methods: Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and time spent sedentary was assessed with a wrist-worn accelerometer (GENEActive) that was worn for 7 consecutive days. Self-reported sleep duration was subtracted from total sedentary time in order to obtain sedentary time during waking hours. Participants also completed the short version of the International PA questionnaire (IPAQ) at the end of the objective measurement, which assesses time spent in MVPA and sitting time during the previous week. Results: Objective and subjective data showed that adolescents spent the majority of their time sitting or in sedentary pursuits. Self-reported MVPA was more than double the amount of the objectively determined time spent in MVPA (p p Conclusions: These results highlight the difficulty to accurately determine PA via questionnaire, which may be attributed to irregular PA patterns in youth. Accordingly, subjective measurements may need to be combined with objective methods in order to enhance the accuracy of PA assessments. The low levels of objectively determined PA, particularly in girls, further emphasize the need for continued efforts to ensure an adequate amount of PA in youth.

Association between fear of hypoglycemia and physical activity in youth with type 1 diabetes: The SEARCH for diabetes in youth study.

Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are encouraged to participate in physical activity (PA). Studies have identified fear of hypoglycemia (FOH) as a barrier to participating in PA. To examine (a) PA patterns in youth with T1D by age group and (b) the relationship between both parental and youth FOH and youth PA. A cross-sectional analysis from the SEARCH cohort study visit of youth ages 10 to 17 years with T1D (n = 1129) was conducted. Linear regression models estimated the association between self-reported number of days of vigorous PA (VPA) and moderate PA (MPA) and both youth- and parent-reported FOH. Multivariable models were adjusted for age, sex, race, duration of T1D, HbA1c, use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), recent severe hypoglycemia, primary insulin regimen, and BMI. Participants were 52% female, had mean (sd) age 14.4 (4.2) years, diabetes duration 7.5 years (1.8), HbA1c 9.2% (1.7). Older youth were less likely to engage in VPA (P < .01), or sports teams (P < .01), but more likely to engage in MPA (P < .01). Higher youth FOH (behavior subscale) was associated with increased levels of VPA (β (se) 0.30 (0.11), P = .01) but not significantly associated with MPA (P = .06). There was no statistically significant association between parental FOH and youth PA. In SEARCH participants with T1D, VPA, and team sports participation declined with age, while MPA increased. We observed that higher scores on the youth FOH behavioral subscale were associated with increased VPA levels, suggesting that FOH may be less of a barrier to PA than previously thought.

Youth Physical Activity Patterns During School and Out-of-School Time.

This study describes age, sex, and season patterns in children’s physical activity behaviors during discrete time periods, both in school and at home. Participants were 135 elementary, 67 middle, and 89 high-school students (128 boys and 163 girls) involved in a larger school activity monitoring project. We examined time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at recess, physical education (PE), lunch, commuting to/from school, before-school, after-school, evening, and weekend segments. Differences in MVPA by age, sex, and season were examined using a three-way analysis of variance and separately for each individual segment. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels varied by context and were higher during recess (15.4 ± 8.5 min) while at school, and on Saturdays (97.4 ± 89.5 min) when youth were out-of-school. Elementary children were more active than their older counterparts only during lunch time, after-school, and Sunday (p < 0.05). Boys were consistently more active than girls at all segments. Participants were only more active during non-winter than winter months during PE (p = 0.006), after-school (p < 0.001), and Sunday (p = 0.008) segments. These findings showed that activity levels in youth vary during the day and season. The segments reflect discrete time periods that can potentially be targeted and evaluated to promote physical activity in this population.

P72 - Investigating Dietary and Physical Activity Patterns Among Hmong American Youth: A Cultural Perspective

Background (Background, Rationale, Prior Research, and/or Theory): While obesity and type-2 diabetes rates have risen among Hmong, limited research has investigated their nutritional status. It is important to investigate Hmong dietary and physical activity patterns so that timely nutritional interventions may be planned. Objective: We investigated the factors that influence dietary and physical activity patterns among Hmong American youth (14-25-year-olds) in the Sacramento region. Study Design, Setting, Participants, Intervention: Eight focus groups (n = 44) were conducted. Each focus group lasted for 60–90 minutes with 4 to 7 youth per group. Participants completed a brief questionnaire regarding smoking, alcohol, and dietary and physical activity behaviors adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Surveillance Survey. Focus groups were audio taped and transcribed verbatim; transcriptions were analyzed for themes and discrepancies were noted and resolved. Outcome Measures and Analysis: Descriptive data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (version 24). Significance level was set at P < .05. Results: Twenty-nine female and 15 male youth participated in the study, mean (±SD) age was 19 ± 3 years. Most youth (84%) were born in the United States, seven (16%) were born in either Laos or Thailand. Questionnaire results indicated that 26% of youth reported eating fried foods 4–6 times during the past week. Furthermore, 51% did not eat green salad and 14% did not consume any fruit during the past week. Focus group data suggested that preference for culturally familiar foods made youth's intake of vegetables challenging. While parental influences negatively influenced female youth's physical activity patterns, cultural expectations to fit in appeared to affect male youth's alcohol consumption. Conclusions and Implications: Cultural factors affected the youths' health and well-being. Future nutrition intervention among Hmong youth is recommended to be culturally-specific with an understanding of parental influences and/or culturally-driven barriers to healthy living. More data with a larger sample size is needed to gain an understanding about Hmong health in this region. Funding: Probationary Faculty Development Grant Program at the California State University, Sacramento.

Step Counts on Weekdays, Weekends, and During Physical Education of Navajo High School Students.

Understanding the physical activity patterns of youth is important for the implementation and evaluation of programming and interventions designed to change behavior. To date, little is known about the objectively measured physical activity patterns of Native American youth. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the step counts of Navajo youth during weekdays, weekend days, and physical education classes. Participants included 63 high school students (mean age=15.14±1.37years). Youth wore a pedometer (Walk-4-Life 2505) for seven consecutive days. Means and standard deviations were calculated for weekdays, weekend days, and physical education. Boys averaged 11,078±4400 steps/weekday compared to 6493±5651 on weekend days. Girls averaged 7567±5614 on weekdays compared to 7589±7712 on weekend days. Both boys (20%) and girls (26%) accumulated a large percentage of their weekday step counts from physical education classes. Findings highlight the importance of additional physical activity opportunities in the community. Youth are falling well short of recommended levels of physical activity with physical education being an important source of physical activity.

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.

The Intricacies of Children’s Physical Activity

Understanding the physical activity patterns of youth is an essential step in preparing programming and interventions needed to change behavior. To date, little is known about the intricacies of youth physical activity across various physical activity segments (i.e. in school, out of school, recess, classroom physical activity, physical education, weekends, etc.). Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the physical activity patterns of elementary school children across various segments and during two seasons. A total of 287 fourth and fifth graders from the Southwest US wore the Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 pedometer for 7 consecutive days during the Fall and Spring seasons. Children were prompted to record their step counts when arriving and leaving school, before and after physical education and recess, as well as on the weekends. Means and standard deviations were calculated and ANOVAs and t tests were utilized to examine difference by sex, season, and segment. Youth were more active outside of school and on weekdays (p<0.05). Boys were generally more active than girls and all youth were more active during the milder Spring season. There is a clear need for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming and weekend physical activity opportunities. Furthermore, greater emphasis is needed on PE and across other activity segments for girls to increase their physical activity levels.

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.

Patterns of habitual physical activity in youth with and without Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Children classified as overweight or obese and those with disabilities are at a greater risk of not meeting the minimum recommendation of 60 min a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA). Youth with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) appear to participate in less PA compared to nonsyndromal children, likely due to syndrome-related factors. However, description of PA patterns in youth with PWS is lacking. The purpose of this study was to characterize PA in youth with PWS and to compare it to PA in children with nonsyndromal obesity. Twenty-four youth with PWS (ages 8-16 years) and 40 obese children without PWS (OB) (ages 8-11 years) wore accelerometers for eight consecutive days. Data were screened for compliance and classified into PA intensities: sedentary behavior (SED), light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA) and moderate plus vigorous (MVPA). Youth with PWS spent 19.4% less time in weekly LPA (p=0.007) and 29.8% less time in weekly VPA compared to OB controls (p=0.036). All other intensities were similar between groups. In addition, PWS participated in less LPA and VPA during the weekends compared to OB, and less LPA on weekdays when compared to OB. There was also a trend towards PWS participating in less MVPA during the weekends and less VPA during the weekends than OB controls. There was a trend towards PWS participating in less VPA on weekends compared to weekdays, while OB participated similarly in VPA on weekdays and weekend days. On average, neither PWS nor OB children met minimum MVPA recommendations. The results suggest there is a need to design exercise programs for PWS youth that focus on integrating vigorous intensity activities, especially during the weekends when structured PA may not be available.

School-Based Physical Activity and Health Behaviors Among Adolescents

This paper on school-based physical activity and health behaviors among adolescent students is grounded in the public health literature, various psychosocial theories, and the coordinated school health ecology model. I address three areas: 1) psychosocial influences on youth physical activity patterns, 2) youth physical activity patterns, and 3) comprehensive school health programming (healthy and active schools). I provide an overview and illustrative examples for each section from my own work.

Habitual physical activity patterns of inner-city children

PurposeUnderstanding the physical activity patterns of youth is an essential step in addressing the obesity epidemic and, ultimately, developing programs that reverse this trend. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the habitual physical activity patterns of Hispanic and African-American children living in a northeastern USA urban environment.MethodsParticipants included 39 inner-city children (10.5 ± 0.61 years old; 78% African American, 14% Hispanic; 85% free/reduced lunch; 20.3 ± 4.3 BMI with 45% overweight/obese). Children wore a pedometer for seven consecutive days. Means and standard deviations were calculated and Student’s t test was utilized to examine difference across gender and day of the week.ResultsChildren averaged 9535 ± 2594 steps/day. The weekday step count mean was 10090 ± 2939 and the weekend step count was 7557 ± 4337, = 2533. Students were significantly more active during the week; &lt;i&gt;t&lt;/i&gt;(16) = 2.38, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.03. Children averaged 10610 ± 2842 steps on physical education weekdays and 8338 ± 2802 steps on non-physical education weekdays. Children were significantly more active on days with physical education classes; &lt;i&gt;t&lt;/i&gt;(30) = 4.7, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.00,Δ = 2272.ConclusionsVery few children in the current sample met daily step recommendations. Our results support previous research that suggests that the ‘suburban built’ environment is more conducive to promoting physical activity than the inner city. Our sample was less active than those in the majority of other studies exploring physical activity in primary school-aged children. Our findings (compared with previous research) found reduced physical activity among African-American children, especially girls.

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.

Physical Activity Patterns of Youth with Down Syndrome

The purpose of this study was to examine the physical activity patterns of children with Down syndrome. A cross-sectional approach and accelerometry were used to measure the time children with Down syndrome (N = 104) spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Results indicated that adolescents from ages 14 to 15 years were the most sedentary and spent the least amount of time in light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. A general trend of decreasing physical activity as children increase in age was found. This trend is similar to that found among typically developing youth. Participants in this study were found to spend a majority of their day engaged in sedentary activities. Results indicate that most participants were not accumulating the recommended 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity.

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.