Are context-specific measures of parental-reported physical activity and sedentary behaviour associated with accelerometer data in 2–9-year-old European children?

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate if context-specific measures of parental-reported physical activity and sedentary behaviour are associated with objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in children. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Seven European countries taking part in the IDEFICS (Identification and Prevention of Dietary-and Lifestyle-induced Health Effects in Children and Infants) study. Subjects: Data were analysed from 2-9-year-old children (n 5982) who provided both parental-reported and accelerometer-derived physical activity/sedentary behaviour measures. Parents reported their children's daily screen-time, weekly sports participation and daily outdoor playtime by means of the Outdoor Playtime Checklist (OPC) and Outdoor Playtime Recall Questions (OPRQ). Results: Sports participation, OPC-and OPRQ-derived outdoor play were positively associated with accelerometer-derived physical activity. Television viewing and computer use were positively associated with accelerometer-derived sedentary time. All parental-reported measures that were significantly associated with accelerometer outcomes explained only a minor part of the variance in accelerometer-derived physical activity or sedentary time. Conclusions: Parental-reported measures of physical activity and sedentary behaviour are not useful as a proxy for 2-9-year-old children's physical activity and sedentary time. Findings do not preclude the use of context-specific measures but imply that conclusions should be limited to the context-specific behaviours that are actually measured. Depending on the aim of the study, future research should carefully consider the choice of measurements, including the use of subjective or objective measures of the behaviour of interest or a combination of both. Keywords Accelerometer Proxy report Physical activity Sedentary behaviour ChildrenIn light of the current prevalence of childhood obesity observed worldwide, there is a growing research interest in children's physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB). Accurate measurements of these behaviours are important not only for investigating the associations with health outcomes but also to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aiming to promote PA and reduce SB.

Behavioural effects of a community‐oriented setting‐based intervention for prevention of childhood obesity in eight European countries. Main results from the IDEFICS study

“…Results showed that sport participation ( β = 0.38, standard error [SE] = 0.07, p < 0.001) and outdoor play ( β = 0.05, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001) were positively associated with accelerometer‐derived moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity; television viewing ( β = 0.05, SE = 0.02, p = 0.001) and computer use ( β = 1.28, SE = 0.22, p < 0.001) were positively associated with accelerometer‐derived sedentary time. Based on the broad range of explained variances, the authors suggest to limit conclusions to the context‐specific behaviour (sports, outdoor play, TV viewing and computer use) rather than to physical activity and sedentary behaviour in general . This means that for example in the present study, only conclusions can be drawn of intervention effects on TV viewing and computer use, but not on sedentary behaviour in general.…”

“…These parental‐reported physical activity and sedentary behaviour measures were validated in a separate study against accelerometers ( n = 5,982) . Results showed that sport participation ( β = 0.38, standard error [SE] = 0.07, p < 0.001) and outdoor play ( β = 0.05, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001) were positively associated with accelerometer‐derived moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity; television viewing ( β = 0.05, SE = 0.02, p = 0.001) and computer use ( β = 1.28, SE = 0.22, p < 0.001) were positively associated with accelerometer‐derived sedentary time.…”

Association Between Self-Reported and Objective Activity Levels by Demographic Factors: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study in Children (Preprint)

“…For example, the built environment [27], peer relationships [28], and day of week [29] have all been shown to influence levels of sedentary behavior in children. Other retrospective self-report tools for assessing sedentary behavior, such as the Outdoor Playtime Recall Questionnaire, are unable to provide such details surrounding sedentary behaviors and have demonstrated weak correlations with accelerometer-measured ST [30,31]. Therefore, EMA may be more effective at capturing factors relevant to ST than other self-report measures previously utilized by investigators.…”

Sedentary behaviour as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in pediatric age

“…In Western countries sedentary time increased dramatically since 1960s [3]. Schools, homes, and public spaces have been re-engineered minimizing physical activity and contributing to reduce children independent mobility.…”