Correlates of habitual physical activity and organized sports in German primary school children

Sociodemographic Correlates of Organized Sports Participation in a Sample of Middle School Students in China

Background: Organized sport participation (OSP) is considered as one method with the potential to increase overall physical activity (PA) levels in young people. It is essential to understand the correlates of OSP to inform future PA interventions.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the sociodemographic correlates of OSP among middle school students from the Nanjing City of China.

Methods: A total of 7,097 adolescents (50.1% girls) aged 12–15 years from Nanjing, China, were recruited in this survey. Self-reported data on sex, grade, race, residence areas, proficient sport skills, and parental highest education were obtained. OSP was assessed by the question asked in the questionnaire on whether participants were involved in any “sports club or team” with the binary answer options of “yes” and “no,” for statistical analysis purposes. Generalized linear models were used to determine the correlates of OSP.

Results: Only 16.6% reported participating in any organized sport over the past whole year, while boys (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.18–1.53) and 7th graders (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.18–1.65) were more likely to participate in organized sport. Adolescents being Han ethnicity were less likely to either participate in organized sport (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.40–0.92), or masterless (one or two) proficient sport skills [OR (one) = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.20–0.37; OR (two) = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.36–0.50]. Besides, both residence area and parental highest education were not significantly associated with OSP among the participating adolescents.

Conclusion: The current study confirmed that only one-sixth of adolescents participate in the organized sport over the past year. At-risk population subgroups include girls, older adolescents, being Han ethnicity, and those proficient in fewer sport skills. Sex, grades, race, and proficient sport skills were significant correlates of OSP. School, community, and families need to provide more resources and support for disadvantaged populations in OSP.

Associations between Parent-Child Nature Visits and Sleep, Physical Activity and Weight Status among Finnish 3-6-Year-Olds

Nature visits and nature exposure have been shown to be favorably associated with children’s health and development, but the research regarding their associations with children’s lifestyle habits is limited. The current study aimed to investigate the associations between the frequency of parent–child nature visits and sleep, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and weight status among three- to six-year-old Finnish preschoolers. Parents and their children (n = 864) participated in a cross-sectional DAGIS (increased health and wellbeing in preschools) study, which was conducted between 2015 and 2016 in Finland. In total, 798 parents answered a questionnaire on the frequency of parent–child nature visits, which also included questions on sociodemographic factors and their children’s sleep habits. Parents also reported children’s bedtimes and wake-up times and children wore an accelerometer for seven days. Trained researchers measured children’s weight and height. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted. More frequent parent–child nature visits were associated with children’s longer sleep duration at night, higher amounts of MVPA outside preschool time and, among girls, good sleep consistency. The frequency of parent–child nature visits was not significantly associated with whether children were overweight or obese or not. Promoting parent–child nature visits could be a cost-effective way to increase young children’s MVPA and enhance night-time sleep.

Preschool physical activity and fitness predicts conceptual, verbal and perceptual skills at school

This study investigated longitudinal relationships between physical activity (PA), fitness and cognitive performance at early years. In total, 147 children at the age of 6.6 and 7.6 years participated in the study. PA and sedentary behaviour (SB) were registered with accelerometer. Skinfold thickness measurements were used to assess body composition. Children's cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength and speed-agility fitness was assessed using PREFIT fitness test battery and static balance by EUROFIT test battery. Cognitive skills were measured with modified Boehm-3 test. Linear regression analyses showed that PA at the age of 6.6 years was positively, while SB was negatively associated with the conceptual skills at the age of 7.6 years after adjusting for confounders. Positive associations were observed between CRF, lower-limbs strength relative to fat-free mass, static balance at the age of 6.6 years with perceptual skills at 7.6 years in unadjusted analysis. PA and fitness were not associated with verbal abilities. Physically active lifestyle and CRF, relative explosive strength of the lower limbs, balance at 6.6 years in kindergarten predict conceptual and perceptual skills, but does not predict verbal abilities 1 year later at first grade in school. SB affects negatively conceptual skills.

Step-Based Metrics and Overall Physical Activity in Children With Overweight or Obesity: Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Best-practice early interventions to increase physical activity (PA) in children with overweight and obesity should be both feasible and evidence based. Walking is a basic human movement pattern that is practical, cost-effective, and does not require complex movement skills. However, there is still a need to investigate how much walking—as a proportion of total PA level—is performed by children who are overweight and obese in order to determine its utility as a public health strategy.

Objective

This study aimed to (1) investigate the proportion of overall PA indicators that are explained by step-based metrics and (2) study step accumulation patterns relative to achievement of public health recommendations in children who are overweight and obese.

Methods

A total of 105 overweight and obese children (mean 10.1 years of age [SD 1.1]; 43 girls) wore hip-worn accelerometers for 7 days. PA volumes were derived using the daily average of counts per 15 seconds, categorized using standard cut points for light-moderate-vigorous PA (LMVPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Derived step-based metrics included volume (steps/day), time in cadence bands, and peak 1-minute, 30-minute, and 60-minute cadences.

Results

Steps per day explained 66%, 40%, and 74% of variance for counts per 15 seconds, LMVPA, and MVPA, respectively. The variance explained was increased up to 80%, 92%, and 77% by including specific cadence bands and peak cadences. Children meeting the World Health Organization recommendation of 60 minutes per day of MVPA spent less time at zero cadence and more time in cadence bands representing sporadic movement to brisk walking (ie, 20-119 steps/min) than their less-active peers.

Conclusions

Step-based metrics, including steps per day and various cadence-based metrics, seem to capture a large proportion of PA for children who are overweight and obese. Given the availability of pedometers, step-based metrics could be useful in discriminating between those children who do or do not achieve MVPA recommendations.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02295072; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02295072

Physical fitness and physical activity of 6-7-year-old children according to weight status and sports participation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate physical fitness and physical activity (PA) of 6-7-year-old children just before entering school according to their sports club (SC) participation and weight status, and to examine possible associations of their body mass index, fat mass and fat-free mass with physical fitness and PA.

METHODS

A total of 256 preschoolers aged 6 to 7 years participated in the study. Physical fitness was assessed using PREFIT test battery and objective PA by 7 day accelerometry. Body composition was estimated using two skinfold thickness parameters. SC participation and parental data were assessed by questionnaires.

RESULTS

Children participating in SC had higher moderate-to-vigorous PA, vigorous PA and cardiorespiratory fitness than children not participating in SC. Overweight children had lower results in cardiorespiratory fitness and all weight-bearing fitness tests, and better results in handgrip strength test in comparison with normal weight children. Significant associations were found between body composition indices and physical fitness tests. PA level was associated with fat-free mass and physical fitness but not with fatness indices.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight-status and body composition together with PA level were associated with physical fitness level. The differences in physical fitness based more upon weight status than SC participation among 6-7-years old children.

Long-term effect of migration background on the development of physical fitness among primary school children

BACKGROUND

Children with a low socioeconomic status and migration background are more likely to exhibit unfavorable health behavior patterns and higher BMI scores as well as lower physical activity and physical fitness.

AIM

To evaluate the effect of migration background on the development of physical fitness among primary school children from first to third grade.

METHODS

In this longitudinal study, height, weight, and physical fitness of primary school children from Tyrol/Austria were measured five times over a period of 2.5 years using the German motor performance test DMT 6-18 consisting of eight items testing different subdomains of physical fitness.

RESULTS

A total of 266 children (45% girls) participated in all five tests, of which 69 (26%) children reported to have a migration background (MB). Mixed-model ANOVA did not reveal a significantly different development of physical fitness (according to the mean total Z-score of DMT 6-18) over time, P = 0.883, partial ƞ²  < 0.01. However, children with MB showed significantly lower physical fitness compared to children without MB, P < 0.001, partial ƞ²  = 0.06. Controlling for BMI and age did not alter the interpretation of the results. Analyses of the single test items revealed significant differences in motor tests involving strength and endurance.

CONCLUSION

Primary school children with and without MB significantly increased their physical fitness over time in a comparable manner. However, children with MB showed a significantly lower physical fitness at all test time points, which was only partly explained by a higher mean BMI in children with MB. Children with MB outreached the mean baseline fitness level of children without MB not until the fourth test time point, that is after two years. Therefore, a special focus on physical fitness particularly including strength and endurance capacities should be directed to children with MB already in young ages.

Child participation in sports is influenced by patterns of lifestyle-related behaviors

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of child and family characteristics and behaviors, and to determine the association of those patterns with child participation in sports.

METHODS

A questionnaire and anthropometric measures were used to collect data on 834 parents and their 6- to 10-year-old children. A principal component analysis identified child and parental patterns, which were tested for association with child participation in extracurricular sports (ES).

RESULTS

Seven patterns were identified: (1) socio-economic, (2) child obesity, (3) parental TV viewing, (4) father's physical activity (PA), (5) mother's PA, (6) child screen time, and (7) parental reported barriers. After adjustment, patterns 1 and 7 (P < .001), pattern 2 (P = .01), and patterns 5 and 6 (P = .04) were significantly associated with the number of sports practiced by children while, patterns 1 and 7 (P < .001), pattern 2 (P = .03), and patterns 4 and 5 (P = .01) were significantly associated with frequency of participation in ES.

CONCLUSION

Future interventions to promote children's participation in sports should be based on a socio-ecological model and targeted to high-risk populations showing multiple risks such as a lower socio-economic status, inactive parents, or obese children.

Promoting Physical Activity Through Youth Sports Programs: It's Social

Youth sport is a key physical activity opportunity for children and adolescents. Several factors influence youth sport participation, including social factors, but this has not to date been clearly delineated. This study is a scoping review to survey the literature on the influence of family and peers on youth sports participation. The review identified 111 articles of which the majority were cross-sectional, included boys and girls, and were conducted primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The articles were grouped into 8 research themes: (1) reasons for participation, (2) social norms, (3) achievement goal theory, 4) family structure, (5) sports participation by family members, (6) parental support and barriers, (7) value of friendship, and (8) influence of teammates. Friendships were key to both initiation and maintenance of participation, parents facilitated participation, and children with more active parents were more likely to participate in sport. Less is known on how family structure, sibling participation, extended family, and other theoretical frameworks may influence youth sport. The review suggests that social influences are important factors for ensuring participation, maximizing the quality of the experience, and capitalizing on the benefits of youth sport. Future research studies, programs, and policies promoting and developing evidence-based youth sporting experiences should consider social influences on youth sport participation.

Family-based social determinants and child health: Cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between urbanization of residential area, parent education level, employment status, overweight/obesity, physical activity, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), in a sample of healthy Italian school-age children (5-11 years).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 432 children resident, respectively, in a highly urban and in a rural area (Latium Region) in 2014. Information on children and families were obtained via questionnaire.

RESULTS

One-third of children were overweight or obese, 15% did not participate in any sport outside school, and more than one-third were exposed to ETS in the domestic environment. Living in a rural area (adjusted OR, 2.55; 95%CI: 1.18-5.52) and lower maternal education (adjusted OR, 2.32; 95%CI: 1.03-5.27) were significant predictors of overweight/obese status. Moreover, lower maternal education level (adjusted OR, 2.74; 95%CI: 1.40-5.33) and paternal education level (adjusted OR, 3.06; 95%CI: 1.54-6.07) were significant predictors of ETS exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

It is essential to investigate the reasons underlying the higher frequency of overweight/obesity in children living in rural environments compared with those in urban areas; and preventative actions should be designed to be easily understood by those with lower education levels.

Factors associated with motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight Tyrolean primary school children

BACKGROUND

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is often associated with motor deficits. Motor performance among children partly depends on modifiable factors, for example, weight status, electronic media use, sports club participation, and on nonmodifiable factors, for example, sex, age, migration background, or socio-economic status.

AIM

To evaluate factors associated with motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight Tyrolean primary school children.

METHODS

Height, weight, and sport motor performance of primary school children were measured using the German motor performance test DMT 6-18. In addition, children were asked about migration background, sports club participation, and electronic media use in their room.

RESULTS

A total of 304 children (48.7% girls) with a mean age of 8.0 ± 1.2 years were tested. In total, 61 (20.1%) children were overweight or obese. Regarding motor performance, nonoverweight children showed significantly higher total z-scores (106.8 ± 5.7 vs. 102.4 ± 6.8). For the total cohort, results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0.20) revealed that factors male sex (β = 0.12), nonoverweight children (β = 0.28), higher school grade (β = 0.23), sports club participation (β = 0.18),and > 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.26) were associated with an increased motor performance. For nonoverweight children results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0.09) found that a higher school grade (β = 0.17), sports club participation (β = 0.16),and more than 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.22) were associated with an increased motor performance. For the overweight children, results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0 .43) showed that no migration background (β = 0.23), a higher school grade (β = 0.55), sports club participation (β = 0.33) and more than 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.48) were associated with an increased motor performance.

CONCLUSION

Regarding modifiable factors, motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight children is strongly associated with a higher number of weekly lessons in physical education. Therefore, daily lessons in physical education are strongly recommended to improve motor performance especially among overweight primary school children.