Surveillance to improve physical activity of children and adolescents

Abstract

The global transition to current low levels of habitual physical activity among children and adolescents began in the second half of the last century. Low physical activity harms health in both the short term (during childhood and adolescence) and long term (during adulthood). In turn, low physical activity could limit progress towards several sustainable development goals, undermine noncommunicable disease prevention, delay physical and mental health recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, increase health-care costs and hinder responses to climate change. However, despite the importance of physical activity, public health surveillance among children and adolescents is very limited globally and low levels of physical activity in children is not on the public health agenda in many countries, irrespective of their level of economic development. This article details proposals for improvements in global public health surveillance of physical activity from birth to adolescence based on recent systematic reviews, international collaborations and World Health Organization guidelines and strategies. Empirical examples from several countries illustrate how improved surveillance of physical activity can lead to public health initiatives. Moreover, better surveillance raises awareness of the extent of physical inactivity, thereby making an invisible problem visible, and can lead to greater capacity in physical activity policy and practice. The time has arrived for a step change towards more systematic physical activity surveillance from infancy onwards that could help inform and inspire changes in public health policy and practice globally.

Reliability and validity of rapid assessment tools for measuring 24-hour movement behaviours in children aged 0–5 years: the Movement Behaviour Questionnaire Baby (MBQ-B) and child (MBQ-C)

“…With the release of such guidelines, there is an urgent need for validated “fit-for-purpose” assessment tools to measure 24-hour movement behaviours in children aged 0–5 years [ 8 , 9 , 13 ]. Valid and reliable measures of young children’s movement behaviours are necessary to monitor population-level trends in movement behaviours, evaluate scaled-up interventions to promote healthy movement behaviours, and make informed public health policy and practice decisions [ 14 ]. While device-based assessments of movement behaviours (i.e., accelerometers) are preferred and frequently employed in studies of young children, such methods are difficult to implement in policy and practice settings as well as large population-based studies [ 15 , 16 ].…”

Association of Sports Practice in Childhood and Adolescence with Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Adulthood: A Retrospective Epidemiological Study

“…However, despite the important findings mentioned above, the effects of prior PA practice performed in childhood and adolescence on the health of the adult population have only recently been investigated. Childhood and adolescence are important phases of life [ 7 , 8 ], in which lifestyle habits such as the practice of PA were carried into adult life [ 9 , 10 ]. Silva et al [ 11 ] in a study analyzing the practice of PA performed through sports, observed that adults who practiced this type of PA in childhood and adolescence were less likely to have hypertension in adult life.…”

Effects of Socioeconomic Environment on Physical Activity Levels and Sleep Quality in Basque Schoolchildren

“…Current policies are clear about the importance of sport and PA: sport is healthy and there is still much to be achieve in the area of healthy lifestyles [ 42 ]; however, in low-, middle-, and high-income countries, PA levels are still insufficient [ 31 , 43 ]. Moreover, few low- and middle-income countries have PA policies, while policies have been well developed in many high-income countries, although often with very limited implementation [ 44 ]. In addition, for many families today, PA involves a financial cost and family time that not everyone has the resources to afford [ 45 ].…”