Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children

Purpose. Previous studies have observed that physical activity (PA) levels tend to be lower in the U.S. population than in many other countries. Within the U.S., PA levels in children are lower in the South than in other regions. Cross-country and interregional differences in PA have not been studie...

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Main Authors: Kerry L. McIver, Russell R. Pate, Marsha Dowda, Suzanne Bennett Johnson, Jimin Yang, Martha Butterworth, Xiang Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:International Journal of Pediatrics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7912894
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author Kerry L. McIver
Russell R. Pate
Marsha Dowda
Suzanne Bennett Johnson
Jimin Yang
Martha Butterworth
Xiang Liu
author_facet Kerry L. McIver
Russell R. Pate
Marsha Dowda
Suzanne Bennett Johnson
Jimin Yang
Martha Butterworth
Xiang Liu
author_sort Kerry L. McIver
collection DOAJ
description Purpose. Previous studies have observed that physical activity (PA) levels tend to be lower in the U.S. population than in many other countries. Within the U.S., PA levels in children are lower in the South than in other regions. Cross-country and interregional differences in PA have not been studied in young children. Methods. In an ongoing study of children at genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes, PA was measured by accelerometry in samples of 5-year-old children (n=2008) from Finland (n=370), Germany (n=85), Sweden (n=706), and the U.S. (n=847). The U.S. sample was drawn from centers in Washington State, Colorado, and Georgia/Florida. Children wore accelerometers for 7 days, and the data were reduced to daily minutes of light-, moderate- (MPA), vigorous- (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous- (MVPA) intensity PA and sedentary behavior. Multiple regression was used to compare children across countries and across regions in the U.S, adjusting for wear time, body mass index, and demographic characteristics. Results. After adjusting for previously mentioned factors, MVPA and MPA were lower in U.S. children than those in Finland and Sweden. Estimates of physical activity were higher in Finland than in other countries, although not all comparisons were significantly different. U.S children spent significantly more time in sedentary behavior than children in Finland (p<0.0001). Within the U.S., children’s PA was consistently lowest in Georgia/Florida and highest in Washington. Conclusions. Cross-country differences in PA, previously reported for adults and adolescents, are evident in 5-year-old children. In general, PA levels are lower in U.S. children than their European counterparts, and within the U.S., are lower in Georgia/Florida and Colorado than in Washington. Future studies should be designed to identify the factors that explain these differences.
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spelling doaj-art-e30aeb29160b4438876cd2a4e49b3da32025-08-20T03:21:06ZengWileyInternational Journal of Pediatrics1687-97401687-97592020-01-01202010.1155/2020/79128947912894Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old ChildrenKerry L. McIver0Russell R. Pate1Marsha Dowda2Suzanne Bennett Johnson3Jimin Yang4Martha Butterworth5Xiang Liu6University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USAUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USAUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, 921 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USAFlorida State University, College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USAUniversity of South Florida, Health Informatics Institute, Tampa, FL 33620, USAUniversity of South Florida, Health Informatics Institute, Tampa, FL 33620, USAUniversity of South Florida, Health Informatics Institute, Tampa, FL 33620, USAPurpose. Previous studies have observed that physical activity (PA) levels tend to be lower in the U.S. population than in many other countries. Within the U.S., PA levels in children are lower in the South than in other regions. Cross-country and interregional differences in PA have not been studied in young children. Methods. In an ongoing study of children at genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes, PA was measured by accelerometry in samples of 5-year-old children (n=2008) from Finland (n=370), Germany (n=85), Sweden (n=706), and the U.S. (n=847). The U.S. sample was drawn from centers in Washington State, Colorado, and Georgia/Florida. Children wore accelerometers for 7 days, and the data were reduced to daily minutes of light-, moderate- (MPA), vigorous- (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous- (MVPA) intensity PA and sedentary behavior. Multiple regression was used to compare children across countries and across regions in the U.S, adjusting for wear time, body mass index, and demographic characteristics. Results. After adjusting for previously mentioned factors, MVPA and MPA were lower in U.S. children than those in Finland and Sweden. Estimates of physical activity were higher in Finland than in other countries, although not all comparisons were significantly different. U.S children spent significantly more time in sedentary behavior than children in Finland (p<0.0001). Within the U.S., children’s PA was consistently lowest in Georgia/Florida and highest in Washington. Conclusions. Cross-country differences in PA, previously reported for adults and adolescents, are evident in 5-year-old children. In general, PA levels are lower in U.S. children than their European counterparts, and within the U.S., are lower in Georgia/Florida and Colorado than in Washington. Future studies should be designed to identify the factors that explain these differences.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7912894
spellingShingle Kerry L. McIver
Russell R. Pate
Marsha Dowda
Suzanne Bennett Johnson
Jimin Yang
Martha Butterworth
Xiang Liu
Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
International Journal of Pediatrics
title Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
title_full Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
title_fullStr Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
title_full_unstemmed Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
title_short Cross-Country Comparisons of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among 5-Year-Old Children
title_sort cross country comparisons of physical activity and sedentary behavior among 5 year old children
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7912894
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