Physical activity and physical fitness in obese, overweight, and normal-weight children.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim was to assess the differences between physical activity and physical fitness in obese, overweight, and normal-weight children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study was accomplished using cluster sampling method at 3 Lithuanian schools. An analysis of anthropometric data for 532 Lithuanian children was performed. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness were measured. Body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage were calculated. The Youth Physical Activity Questionnaire and a 6-min walk test (6MWT) were administered to evaluate physical activity and physical fitness. Maximal oxygen consumption was calculated to assess the children's aerobic capacity. Correlations among anthropometric data, 6MWT-walked distance, and moderate-vigorous physical activity duration were analyzed. RESULTS: The study showed that 20.1% of the studied children were obese or overweight. They engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity 22.4 min less per day and walked 50.9 m less on average during a 6-min test than normal-weight children. Physical fitness parameters correlated with daily moderate-vigorous physical activity duration and with most of the children's anthropometric parameters. CONCLUSION: Obese and overweight children were less physically active and had lower physical fitness than normal-weight children. The findings underline the need for interventions to increase physical activity and improve fitness in obese and overweight children.

Traffic injury mortality trends in children and adolescents in Lithuania among road users.

This study analyzes traffic mortality trends among road users from 1998 to 2012 in children and adolescents aged 0-19 years in Lithuania. National mortality data of pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and car occupants were used to compare trend lines. The study revealed that 56% of the deceased in road traffic crashes were car occupants, while 24% were pedestrians. The incidence of death from traffic injury was 2.5 times higher in boys than girls. Traffic injury mortality and pedestrian mortality rates declined significantly in the total group. There was also a significant decline in mortality among cyclists for the total group and female subgroup. Trends in mortality rates among motorcyclists and car occupants showed no significant changes. A long-term decline is more likely to be affected by efforts in the promotion of sustainable and permanent road safety. The reduced risk exposure may also have been influenced by the economic recession.