Relationship between Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Anthropometric Measurements among Saudi Female Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are becoming increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia and are an emerging cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Lifestyle factors, such as insufficient levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviors, are responsible for the increased prevalence of NCDs. This study aimed to determine the association between physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, and anthropometric measurements in Saudi female adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 399 healthy female adolescent students aged 13–14 years in Arar, Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomly selected from different schools and their anthropometric measurements were determined. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and the Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire (ASAQ) were used to assess their physical activity levels and sedentary behaviors, and an analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS software version 25. A multiple linear regression model was used to determine the association between the variables. The majority of the participants had a normal body mass index (BMI; 79.4%) and waist circumference (WC; 62.4%). A total of 74.4% had waist to height ratio (WHtR) < 0.5. About 92.7% of the participants were not meeting PA recommendations of 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. The overall mean time spent on sedentary activities was high on both weekdays and weekend days at 357.64 ± 86.29 and 470.51 ± 147.64 min/day, respectively. Moreover, anthropometric measurement (BMI) was positively associated with age and negatively associated with sedentary behavior on weekends, while WHtR was positively associated with age. The multiple linear regression analysis also showed that age and sedentary behavior significantly predicted BMI among the study participants (F (2, 396) = 4.346, p < 0.014) and age was the only significant predictor of WHtR (F (1, 397) = 16.191, p ≤ 0.001). This study revealed that most of the female Saudi adolescents undertook low levels of activity and high levels of sedentary behaviors. Sedentary behaviors were significantly associated with their BMI. Accordingly, an intervention program on healthy lifestyles is important to improve Saudi female adolescents’ lifestyles.

Anthropometric Measurements, Sociodemographics, and Lifestyle Behaviors among Saudi Adolescents Living in Riyadh Relative to Sex and Activity Energy Expenditure: Findings from the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study 2 (ATLS-2)

“…Recent guidelines from the WHO, though, recommend that children and adolescents aged 6–17 years engage in at least 60 min of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity every day [ 11 ]. A recent study conducted on Saudi adolescents aged 13–14 years in the city of Arar (in the northern part of the country) found a high prevalence of physical inactivity (92.7%) among the participants [ 33 ]. However, this study used a different PA questionnaire (the PA Questionnaire for Older Children) than the one used in our current study.…”

“…An earlier study conducted on Saudi adolescents revealed that very high proportions of males (84%) and females (91.2%) were sedentary, defined as having more than two hours per day of screen time [ 5 ]. Adolescents from a northern city in Saudi Arabia (Arar) were found to have nearly six hours of daily sedentary time during weekdays and 7.8 h during weekends [ 33 ]. Furthermore, a large study of US adolescents showed that the prevalence of sitting while viewing screens for at least two hours per day was high and the estimated sitting time totaled 8.2 h per day among adolescents [ 59 ].…”

Influence of Physical Exercise on Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults: A Quantitative Study

“…Physical activity implies multiple benefits, such as the prevention of cardiovascular diseases [ 12 ], better control of body weight [ 10 , 13 ], less presence of chronic pain [ 14 ], better bone density and better physical fitness [ 15 , 16 ], greater muscle strength, and lower risk of mortality [ 13 , 17 , 18 ]. In addition, at a psychological level, physical activity improves mental health and quality of life [ 8 , 19 ], reduces stress and anxiety [ 8 , 20 , 21 ], lowers the risk of depression [ 22 ], and improves the quality of sleep [ 23 ].…”

Physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and breakfast eating as factors influencing BMI in Saudi students, aged 10 to 15 years

“…Bahathig et al. [ 7 ] noted that approximately 92.7% of 399 healthy adolescent female students, aged 13–14 years, in Arar, northern Saudi Arabia, did not meet the recommended 60 min per day of moderate to vigorous PA. However, the overall average time spent in sedentary activities was 357.64 ± 86.29 and 470.51 ± 147.64 min per day on weekdays and weekends, respectively.…”

“…The impact of body mass index (BMI) on quality of life is indisputable. Evidence has confirmed that those with normal weight have the significantly higher health-related quality of life scores than those who are obese [ 7 ]. Consequently, the American Physical Activity Guidelines [ 5 ] recommended that school-aged children and adolescents, aged 6–17 years, should practice moderate to vigorous PA for at least 1 h each day to combat overweight and obesity [ 5 ].…”