Variability and Stability in Daily Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity among 10 Year Old Children

Abstract

Day-to-day variability and stability of children’s physical activity levels across days of the week are not well understood. Our aims were to examine the day-to-day variability of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), to determine factors influencing the day-to-day variability of MVPA and to estimate stability of MVPA in children. The sample comprises 686 Portuguese children (10 years of age). MVPA was assessed with an accelerometer, and BMI was computed from measured height and weight. Daily changes in MVPA and their correlates (gender, BMI, and maturity) were modeled with a multilevel approach, and tracking was calculated using Foulkes & Davies γ. A total of 51.3% of boys and 26.2% of girls achieved 60 min/day of MVPA on average. Daily MVPA was lower during the weekend (23.6% of boys and 13.6% of girls comply with the recommended 60 min/day of MVPA) compared to weekdays (60.8% and 35.4%, boys and girls, respectively). Normal weight children were more active than obese children and no effect was found for biological maturation. Tracking is low in both boys (γ = 0.59 ± 0.01) and girls (γ = 0.56 ± 0.01). Children’s MVPA levels during a week are highly unstable. In summary, boys are more active than girls, maturation does not affect their MVPA, and obese children are less likely to meet 60 min/day of MVPA. These results highlight the importance of providing opportunities for increasing children’s daily MVPA on all days of week, especially on the weekend.

Objectively measured patterns of sedentary time and physical activity in young adults of the Raine study cohort

“…The diurnal patterning of both MVPA and sedentary/light ratio showed sedentariness to reduce (and MVPA to increase) across the day and then to increase (and MVPA to reduce) again in the evening. Such diurnal patterns have been observed in diverse populations, including children [ 50 ] and older adults [ 51 ], but have not been previously described in young adults. Day of the week is sometimes associated with activity, with office workers spending 8 % more time sedentary on work days than non-work days [ 52 ], school students showing similar amounts of sedentary time on school days and weekend days [ 53 ], and a recent study of colon cancer survivors finding Saturdays were most sedentary and no significant differences in MVPA by day of the week [ 54 ].…”

Write, draw, show, and tell: a child-centred dual methodology to explore perceptions of out-of-school physical activity

“…To date physical activity promotion strategies for young people have mainly been school-based targeting physical activity behaviours throughout the school day, yet few have reported positive health effects [ 12 – 14 ]. The out-of-school period (i.e., specifically after school and weekend) may offer a promising alternative during which to intervene given the precipitous decline in physical activity levels during these periods [ 15 – 17 ]. Moreover, the out-of-school period offers added opportunities for family based physical activity, and with parents being among the strongest influences on children’s physical activity [ 18 , 19 ], serving as physical activity ‘gate keepers’, role models, and sources of support [ 20 – 22 ], there is potential for parents to act as catalysts to increase children’s out-of-school physical activity.…”

The Impact Of Stand-biased Desks On After-school Physical Activity Behaviors In Children

“…During the weekday, it has been suggested that children's PA behaviors remain relatively consistent across entire days, with slight variance, before experiencing a dramatic decrease leading into the weekend (Pereira et al, 2015). In the present study, fairly similar PA behaviors are witnessed between the INT and CON groups during both time periods, although day to day variance in the proportion of time spent performing different PA behaviors appears to vary to a greater degree than the differences between groups on any single day of the week.…”

“…In the current study, PA behaviors during the after-school period appeared to be primarily influenced by seasonal changes in weather and variation in the length of the after-school time period. It has previously been shown that children in the northern hemisphere accumulate their lowest levels of PA during the months of December and January (Atkin et al, 2016;Mattocks et al, 2007;Pereira et al, 2015), otherwise coinciding with the winter season, when weather is typically at its coldest and least favorable. These adverse weather conditions in turn deter regular opportunities for PA in the outdoor environment, resulting in more time spent being sedentary indoors.…”