Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe – harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents
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Show full item recordEditorial
Springer Nature
Date
2020-03-18Referencia bibliográfica
Steene-Johannessen, J., Hansen, B.H., Dalene, K.E. et al. Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe – harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 17, 38 (2020). [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00930-x]
Sponsorship
The pooling of the data was funded through a grant from the National Prevention Research Initiative (Grant Number: G0701877); This work was additionally supported by the Medical Research Council [MC_UU_12015/3; MC_UU_12015/7], The Research Council of Norway (249932/F20)Abstract
Background: Levels of physical activity and variation in physical activity and sedentary time by place and person in
European children and adolescents are largely unknown. The objective of the study was to assess the variations in
objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in children and adolescents across Europe.
Methods: Six databases were systematically searched to identify pan-European and national data sets on physical
activity and sedentary time assessed by the same accelerometer in children (2 to 9.9 years) and adolescents (≥10 to
18 years). We harmonized individual-level data by reprocessing hip-worn raw accelerometer data files from 30
different studies conducted between 1997 and 2014, representing 47,497 individuals (2–18 years) from 18 different
European countries.
Results: Overall, a maximum of 29% (95% CI: 25, 33) of children and 29% (95% CI: 25, 32) of adolescents were
categorized as sufficiently physically active. We observed substantial country- and region-specific differences in
physical activity and sedentary time, with lower physical activity levels and prevalence estimates in Southern
European countries. Boys were more active and less sedentary in all age-categories. The onset of age-related
lowering or leveling-off of physical activity and increase in sedentary time seems to become apparent at around 6
to 7 years of age.
Conclusions: Two third of European children and adolescents are not sufficiently active. Our findings suggest
substantial gender-, country- and region-specific differences in physical activity. These results should encourage
policymakers, governments, and local and national stakeholders to take action to facilitate an increase in the
physical activity levels of young people across Europe.