Background With increases in inactive lifestyles and mounting pressure for academic excellence in Chinese younger populations, lack of physical activity and increased prevalence of obesity have become a major public health concern in China. The purpose of this study is to provide updated estimates on the prevalence of meeting moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen viewing time guidelines, and overweight and obesity among Chinese school-aged children and adolescents, with a secondary aim examining variations in prevalence by sex, grade groupings, and residential location. Methods The study sample came from the 2017 Physical Activity and Fitness in China—The Youth Study, a cross-sectional and national survey of 131,859 students (aged 7 to 19 years) from 986 public schools in China. Measures of MVPA, screen viewing time, and age- and sex-specific overweight and obese body mass index were used to calculate national prevalence estimates of Chinese school-aged children and adolescents. Results In 2017, 34.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34.09–34.11%) of children and adolescents met MVPA guidelines and 65.4% (95% CI, 65.39–65.41%) adhered to screen viewing time guidelines. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 15.1% (95% CI, 15.09–15.11%) and 10.7% (95% CI, 10.69–10.71%), respectively. Prevalence estimates differed by sex (boys, girls), grade grouping (primary schools, junior middle schools, junior high schools), and residential location (rural, urban). Conclusions There remains a low prevalence of meeting MVPA guidelines and high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese school-aged children and adolescents. Future efforts should focus on monitoring the trend of these behavioral and health risk factors to inform school policies and programs aimed at increasing physical activity and reducing and preventing obesity in younger populations in China. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-6515-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights This study provides the prevalence estimates of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep duration (isolation and combination) in a nationally representative sample ( n = 114,072) of Chinese children and adolescents of grades 4–12. Only about 5% of Chinese children and adolescents show the most ideal combination of 24-h movement behaviors. Chinese children and adolescents with younger ages, higher parental education levels, and higher family incomes exhibit favorable 24-h movement behaviors. Chinese children and adolescents with the most ideal 24-h movement behaviors have lower risks of overweight and obesity, especially in children of grades 4–6 and girls of grades 7–9.

Background:Internationally comparable evidence is important to advocate for young people’s physical activity. The aim of this article is to present the inaugural Shanghai (China) Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.Methods:Since no national data are available, the working group developed the survey questionnaire and carried out the school surveys for students (n = 71,404), parents (n = 70,346), and school administrators and teachers (n = 1398). The grades of 9 report card indicators were assigned in accordance with the survey results against a defined benchmark: A is 81% to 100%; B is 61% to 80%; C is 41% to 60%, D is 21% to 40%; F is 0% to 20%.Results:The 9 indicators were graded as follows: Overall Physical Activity Levels (F), Organized Sport Participation (F), Active Play (D-), Active Transportation (C-), Sedentary Behavior (F), Family and Peers (B), School (B+), Community and the Built Environment (D+), and Government (D).Conclusions:Levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior were low and below the respective recommended guidelines. Interventions and policies at the community level should be encouraged to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior. Future national surveys should be encouraged to strengthen Shanghai’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the association between school and community physical activity (PA) characteristics and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among Chinese school children.MethodsData were obtained from the 2016 Physical Activity and Fitness in China—The Youth Study project. Participants were 80,928 school children (Grades 4–12; 39,747 boys, 41,181 girls; mean age = 13 years) and 935 physical education (PE) teachers who completed a study survey. Independent variables included both school-related factors (school-level PA support, availability of and access to PA facilities, and the duration of school PE classes) and community-related factors (the frequency of sports events, sports training opportunities, availability of sports clubs and organizations, and access to PA facilities). The dependent variable was the children's self-reported participation in MVPA. The data were analyzed, in 2017, via multilevel modeling.ResultsPA support from school administrators was the only school-level factor significantly related to children's participation in MVPA. Children's perceptions of the frequency of community-sponsored sports events, availability of sports clubs and organizations, and convenient access to PA facilities were associated with a high level of MVPA participation. In regard to residency in urban and rural areas, children attending urban schools who perceived high availability of PA facilities were associated with a low level of participation in MVPA.ConclusionSchool support for PA and community PA resources are associated with MVPA among Chinese school children. School PA facilities appear underutilized among urban schools as evidenced by low levels of MVPA among school children.

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