Journal
PEDIATRICS
Volume 126, Issue 4, Pages E926-E935Publisher
AMER ACAD PEDIATRICS
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2010-0048
Keywords
physical activity; prospective study; determinants; change
Categories
Funding
- National Prevention Research Initiative
- British Heart Foundation
- Cancer Research United Kingdom
- Department of Health
- Diabetes United Kingdom
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Medical Research Council
- Health and Social Care Research and Development Office for Northern Ireland
- Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health Directorates
- Welsh Assembly Government
- World Cancer Research Fund
- Economic and Social Research Council [ES/G007462/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- Medical Research Council [MC_U106179473, G0501294, MC_U106179474] Funding Source: researchfish
- ESRC [ES/G007462/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- MRC [MC_U106179473, MC_U106179474, G0501294] Funding Source: UKRI
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OBJECTIVE: We measured physical activity changes among 10-year-old British children over 12 months and assessed biological and demographic determinants. METHODS: Physical activity was measured with accelerometers (counts per minute) over >= 3 days at baseline and 1 year later in a prospective study of 844 children (41.6% male; mean +/- SD baseline age: 10.2 +/- 0.3 years) from 92 schools. Meeting physical activity recommendations was defined as >= 60 minutes/day at >= 2000 counts per minute. Biological (height, weight, and fat percentage) and demographic factors (gender, rural/urban home location, and socioeconomic status) were assessed at baseline. Associations between physical activity changes and multiple factors were studied. RESULTS: Physical activity decreased over 1 year (baseline: 665.7 +/- 209.8 counts per minute; follow-up: 623.2 +/- 179.2 counts per minute; P < .001), with 70.4% of children meeting physical activity recommendations at the baseline evaluation and 65.8% at the follow-up evaluation (P < .001). The decrease occurred mainly on weekends (-47.2 +/- 395.8 counts per minute; P = .002), with no significant change on weekdays (8.0 +/- 201.6 counts per minute; P = .20). Girls (P < .001), participants with greater body fat percentage (P = .001), and participants of higher socioeconomic status (P = .008) were more likely to exhibit physical activity decreases. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity decreased over 1 year among children in primary school, predominantly during the weekend. Because these children were relatively active at baseline, prevention of physical activity decreases in childhood, particularly among girls and on weekends, may be a suitable health promotion target. Pediatrics 2010;126:e926-e935
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