Comparisons in ambulatory physical activity in children from the United Kingdom and Belgium.

AIM: This study sought to examine ambulatory physical activity levels in adolescents from the UK and Belgium. METHODS: Following ethics approval, 2760 children (1247 boys, 1513 girls), aged 9-14 years from Belgium (n = 1614) and the UK (n = 1146), wore a pedometer for 4 days including at least 1 weekend day. Body mass index (BMI) was determined from height and mass. RESULTS: A 2 (gender) × 2 (country) way ANCOVA, controlling for age and BMI, revealed a significant country-by-gender interaction for steps/day (p = 0.0001). In both Belgium and the UK, boys were more physically active than girls (both p = 0.0001), but the difference between boys and girls was greater for Belgian than UK children. CONCLUSION: These results suggest there are differences in the ambulatory physical activity patterns of children in the UK and Belgium.

Which school- and home-based factors in elementary school-age children predict physical activity and sedentary behavior in secondary school-age children? A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To examine which school- and home-based factors at age 11 to 12 (6th grade, elementary school) predict physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) at age 13 to 14 (8th grade, secondary school). METHODS: Data at both time points were collected from 472 children (mean age baseline = 10.97, SD age = 0.41) and their parents. Children and parents completed self-reported questionnaires. Children's height and weight were measured and children wore a pedometer for 7 days. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that predominantly boys (ß = -.11), children with higher levels of pedometer-determined PA (ß = .44) and more parental logistic support (ß = .11) at age 11 to 12 displayed higher levels of pedometer-determined PA at age 13 to 14 (R2 = 39.1%). Similar results emerged for self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA (R2 = 36.7%). Finally, lower levels of screen-based SB at age 13 to 14 (R2 = 32.5%) were most strongly related to lower levels of screen-based SB (ß = .41), a medium/high socioeconomic status (ß = -.18), and higher levels of parental PA explicit modeling (ß = -.18) at age 11 to 12. CONCLUSIONS: Children's PA/SB and the supportive role of parents at age 11 to 12 are strong predictors of PA and screen-based SB at age 13 to 14.

Changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during the transition from elementary to secondary school.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify longitudinal changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) and to analyze its association with gender and weight status during the transition from elementary to secondary school. METHODS: Flemish children were recruited in 6th grade of elementary school (age = 10.97 ± 0.41) and reassessed 2 years later (age = 12.96 ± .40). Children completed a questionnaire on moderate to vigorous PA and SB and wore pedometers to monitor habitual PA. Longitudinal data from 472 children were analyzed. RESULTS: A significant decrease was observed in self-reported moderate to vigorous PA (-12.2%), but not in pedometer-determined PA. With respect to SB, a pronounced increase in recreational computer use was found (+3.22 hours/week), particularly in overweight boys (+8.18 hours/week). Finally, a significant increase in time spent on homework was observed in girls (+3.57 hours/week) and normal weight children (+2.83 hours/week). CONCLUSIONS: No longitudinal change in pedometer-determined PA was observed. Nevertheless, the decline in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA suggests that the transition to secondary school induced a change in the contribution of different types of PA. Finally, time spent on homework and recreational computer use increased during the school transition.

The relation between environmental factors and pedometer-determined physical activity in children: the mediating role of autonomous motivation.

Based on self-determination theory, the purpose of this study was to explore the mediating role of autonomous motivation in the relation between environmental factors and pedometer-determined PA among 10- to 12-year-old Flemish children. Data were collected from 787 6th grade pupils and one of their parents. Children completed self-report measures including autonomous motivation for PA and perceived autonomy support for PA by parents and friends. Parents completed a questionnaire concerning their PA related parenting practices (logistic support and explicit modeling) and the perceived home environment with respect to PA opportunities. The results confirmed that autonomous motivation mediated the relation between children's PA and their perceived autonomy support by friends and parents. Autonomous motivation also mediated the relation between parental logistic support and PA. In addition, a positive direct relation was found between parental explicit modeling and children's PA, and between perceived neighbor- hood safety and children's PA.

Clustering of multiple lifestyle behaviours and its relationship with weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness in a sample of Flemish 11- to 12-year-olds.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to explore the existence of clusters in multiple lifestyle behaviours, including physical activity (PA), sedentariness and food habits, in young adolescents. The present study also investigated whether the identified groups could be characterised by gender and components of health-related physical fitness, especially weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. Leisure-time PA, sedentary behaviour and food consumption were assessed by a questionnaire. Overweight prevalence was estimated using BMI (kg/m2) calculated from self-reported height and weight. CRF was measured using a 20 m shuttle-run test. SETTING: The study was conducted in four middle schools in Flanders, Belgium. SUBJECTS: The sample size was 317 seventh grade students aged 11-12 years. RESULTS: Four reliable and meaningful lifestyle clusters could be identified, labelled as 'Sporty media-oriented mixed eaters' (boys: n 34; girls: n 16), 'Academic healthy eaters' (boys: n 30; girls: n 58), 'Inactive healthy eaters' (boys: n 38; girls: n 57) and 'Inactive media-oriented unhealthy eaters' (boys: n 35; girls: n 49). The lifestyle clusters could not be characterised by adolescents' weight status. Among boys, the 'Sporty media-oriented mixed eaters' group performed significantly better on the shuttle-run test than those in clusters with the lowest levels of PA (clusters 3 and 4). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that healthy and risk-related behaviours may coexist in some groups of young adolescents. Isolated unhealthy behaviours, such as high levels of screen-based media use or high consumption of energy-dense food items, are not necessarily related with negative health outcomes, on the condition that these risk-related behaviours co-occur with more health-enhancing behaviours such as PA.