Associations between accelerometer-measured and self-reported physical activity in a sample of Italian adolescents (original) (raw)
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Background: The rising prevalence of obesity in children may be due to a reduction in physical activity (PA). Objective: Our aim was to study the associations of objectively measured PA volume and its subcomponents with indicators of body fatness. Design: A cross-sectional study of 1292 children aged 9 -10 y from 4 distinct regions in Europe (Odense, Denmark; the island of Madeira, Portugal; Oslo; and Tartu, Estonia) was conducted. PA was measured by accelerometry, and indicators of body fatness were the sum of 5 skinfold thicknesses and body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ). We examined the associations between PA and body fatness by using general linear models adjusted for potential confounding variables. Results: After adjustment for sex, study location, sexual maturity, birth weight, and parental BMI, time (min/d) spent at moderate and vigorous PA (P ҃ 0.032) and time (min/d) spent at vigorous PA were significantly (P ҃ 0.015) and independently associated with body fatness. Sex, study location, sexual maturity, birth weight, and parental BMI explained 29% (adjusted R 2 ҃ 0.29) of the variation in body fatness. Time spent at vigorous PA explained an additional 0.5%. Children who accumulated 1 h of moderate PA/d were significantly fatter than were those who accumulated 2 h/d.
Turkish Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022
Objective: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents increased dramatically. Reduced regular physical activity (PA) is considered one of the major factors behind this worldwide epidemic and related health problems. This study aimed to determine the association between PA level and body composition components in 12-14 years old girls and boys living in Altındağ district, Ankara. Materials and methods: A total of 234 boys and 224 girls aged 12-14 years participated in this study. PA level was assessed by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) and body composition was measured by bioelectric impedance. Two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient tests were used in data analysis. Results: Findings of the study showed that children aged 12 years had higher total PA score than aged 13 and 14 years (p<0.05), showing decreased PA level with age. Boys had significantly higher total PA score in all age grou...
Body fatness and physical activity levels of young children
Annals of Human Biology, 2007
Background: The decline in physical activity levels of young children seems to be combined with a high prevalence of obesity and overweight and a reduction in the participation in organized sport. With the ever-increasing interest in exploring the relationship between physical activity and obesity amongst children, it is important to provide a more precise estimate of both physical activity and body fatness. A significant proportion of previous research on this topic has relied on self-report methods to assess physical activity and body mass index as a proxy for actual body fatness. There is a need to investigate the relationships between physical activity and fatness in children using objective methods. Aim: This study was conducted in order to explore the relationship between physical activity patterns and percentage body fat amongst a group of primary school children. Subjects and methods: Forty-seven primary school children (boys, n ¼ 23; girls, n ¼ 24) participated in this study. They were randomly selected from children in years 5 and 6 (9-11 year olds) of four schools drawn from the same catchment area in the city of Birmingham, UK. The frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity were determined using continuous heart rate monitoring from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm over three separate days (two weekdays and one weekend day). Percentage body fat was assessed using air displacement plethysmography. Results: Results indicated that 52% of children did not achieve a single 15-min bout of sustained moderate physical activity over the three days of monitoring. Independent t-tests revealed that girls were significantly fatter (t 44 ¼ À3.126, p ¼ 0.003) than boys. There was no significant difference (t 45 ¼ 0.225, p > 0.05) between boys and girls in accumulated time spent with heart rates above the moderate physical activity threshold. Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients revealed no significant (r ¼ À0.017, p > 0.05) relationship between per cent body fat and average daily time spent in moderate and vigorous activity. Conclusion: Despite the prediction to the contrary, there was no evidence of a significant relationship between percentage body fat of children and time spent in moderate and vigorous activity. Additionally, while there were no significant gender differences in physical activity patterns, children were more physically active during weekdays than weekends.
Total physical activity, activity intensity and body fat in 8 to 11 year old boys and girls
Journal of Exercise Science and …, 2006
The relative importance of total habitual activity and time spent at varying intensities of activity to body fatness is unclear. This study examined the relationship between total activity, minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous activity with percent body fat in 38 boys (mean age, 9.1 ± 0.7 years) and 38 girls (mean age, 9.0 ± 1.0 years). Percent body fat was estimated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. An RT3 accelerometer was worn for 5.2 ± 0.9 days to assess physical activity. Correlations between activity and percent body fat were significant for total activity (boys: r = -0.42, p = 0.009; girls: r = -0.43, p = 0.008) and ≥vigorous activity (boys: r = -0.46, p = 0.003; girls: r = -0.50, p = 0.002). However, there were no relationships between MVPA and percent body fat. Boys in the lowest sex-specific tertile for vigorous activity (≤ 27 minutes) had higher fat than boys in the higher two tertiles (≥ 27 minutes vigorous activity). Girls in the top sex-specific tertile for MVPA (≥ 127 minutes) had lower fat than girls in the lower tertile (≤ 104.5 minutes). In conclusion, total physical activity and time spent in vigorous activity were more strongly related to body fatness than MVPA in 8-11-year-old boys and girls.
Physical activity and physical fitness in children and their relationship on body fat
Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 2022
Low levels of physical activity and physical fitness are risk factors of obesity and cardiovascular disease from childhood to adulthood. According to several studies, inactivity increases with the age of the school students. In Spain, according to results of the 2018 Report, only 34% of boys and 27% of girls aged 3 to 14 are active. This study aimed to compare differences between genders in body composition and PA; to analyse the relationship between the variables studied. Methods: This study used a non-experimental research design. PAQ-C questionnaire and ALPHA-Fitness tests were used. Descriptive analysis, correlation and linear regression gave the following results: boys had better scores in PA, and worse in BF percentage. PA in boys is related to aerobic capacity (r = 0.426, p < .01), BMI and BF (r =-0.368, and-0.323, p < .01 respectively). BF variability in boys (R 2 = 0.35) is determined by aerobic capacity (t =-4.161; p < .01) and lower-body explosive strength (t =-3.832; p < .01). Findings show an association between PA and the elements of PF studied, and an explanatory model of body fat based on aerobic capacity and lower-body explosive strength in boys.
TOTAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY INTENSITY AND BODY FAT IN 8-11YEAROLD BOYS AND GIRLS
The relative importance of total habitual activity and time spent at varying intensities of activity to body fatness is unclear. This study examined the relationship between total activity, minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous activity with percent body fat in 38 boys (mean age, 9.1 ± 0.7 years) and 38 girls (mean age, 9.0 ± 1.0 years). Percent body fat was estimated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. An RT3 accelerometer was worn for 5.2 ± 0.9 days to assess physical activity. Correlations between activity and percent body fat were significant for total activity (boys: r = -0.42, p = 0.009; girls: r = -0.43, p = 0.008) and ≥vigorous activity (boys: r = -0.46, p = 0.003; girls: r = -0.50, p = 0.002). However, there were no relationships between MVPA and percent body fat. Boys in the lowest sex-specific tertile for vigorous activity (≤ 27 minutes) had higher fat than boys in the higher two tertiles (≥ 27 minutes vigorous activity). Girls in the top sex-specific tertile for MVPA (≥ 127 minutes) had lower fat than girls in the lower tertile (≤ 104.5 minutes). In conclusion, total physical activity and time spent in vigorous activity were more strongly related to body fatness than MVPA in 8-11-year-old boys and girls.
Pediatric obesity, 2015
The data regarding prospective associations between physical activity (PA) and adiposity in youth are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between baseline levels of objectively measured PA and changes in adiposity over 2.5 years from mid-to-late adolescence. This was an observational cohort study in 728 school students (43% boys) from Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Fat mass index (FMI, kg m(-2) ) was estimated at baseline (mean ± standard deviation age: 15 ± 0.3 years) and follow-up (17.5 ± 0.3 years) by anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance. Habitual PA was assessed at baseline by ≥3 d combined heart rate and movement sensing. Average daily PA energy expenditure (PAEE) and the time (min d(-1) ) spent in light, moderate and vigorous intensity PA (LPA, MPA and VPA, respectively) was estimated. Multilevel models were used to investigate associations between baseline PA and change in FMI (ΔFMI). Adjustment for baseline age, sex, follow-up dura...
Total energy expenditure, body fatness, and physical activity in children aged 6–9 y
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2001
Background: The recent worldwide increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity may be due in part to a decrease in children's physical activity levels. Objective: The current study of children in the years just before puberty aimed to 1) measure total energy expenditure (TEE) by use of the doubly labeled water (DLW) method, 2) determine the proportion of TEE related to physical activity, 3) investigate the relations between measures of physical activity and body fatness, and 4) investigate possible sex differences in these relations. Design: The DLW technique was used to measure TEE over 10 d in 106 healthy children (52 boys) aged 7.8 ± 0.9 y (x-± SD). Fatfree mass, and hence fat mass, was derived from the 18 O dilution space. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was calculated with use of the Schofield equations. Physical activity level was calculated as TEE/REE. Results: Mean TEE in both boys (7871 ± 1135 kJ/d) and girls (7512 ± 1195 kJ/d) was significantly different (P < 0.0001) from FAO/WHO/UNU recommendations (13% and 9% lower, respectively). There was no significant difference in physical activity level between boys (1.69 ± 0.22) and girls (1.71 ± 0.23). In boys but not girls, physical activity level was inversely correlated with BMI (r = Ϫ0.37, P < 0.01), fat mass (r = Ϫ0.46, P < 0.005), and percentage of body fat (r = Ϫ0.50, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: In boys but not girls, percentage of body fat is inversely associated with physical activity level. Physical activity is one factor contributing to body fatness in boys, but additional factors may influence the size of the fat stores in girls.