Which activity domain contributes most to (changes in) accelerometer-assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in young people?

Oral Presentation B4.7

Authors

  • Erika Ikeda University of Cambridge
  • Justin M. Guagliano Western Sydney University
  • Andrew J. Atkin University of East Anglia
  • Lauren Sherar Loughborough University
  • Bjørge Herman Hansen Norwegian School of Sport Sciences; University of Agder
  • Ulf Ekelund Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
  • Esther van Sluijs University of Cambridge

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.511

Keywords:

Active Travel, Organised Sport, Physical Education, Accelerometry, Harmonisation

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) declines during childhood. Important sources of PA are active travel, organized sport and physical education (PE), but it is unclear which domain contributes most to improving and maintaining PA. Purpose: To examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between domain-specific PA (active travel, organised sport and PE) and daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in children and adolescents. Methods: Participants (8.5-18 years at baseline) were drawn from three studies in the International Children’s Accelerometry Database (ICAD); n=3871 and n=2302 were included in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively. Accelerometer-measured MVPA was regressed on self-reported standardised active travel, organised sport and PE in separate linear regression models, adjusted for study, age, sex, maternal education, season, and monitor wear time. Longitudinal analyses regressed changes in MVPA on baseline PA domain, additionally adjusted for change in season and wear time, follow-up duration, and baseline MVPA. R-squared was used to compare variance explained by each PA domain. Results: Cross-sectionally, organised sport showed the strongest magnitude of association (beta coefficient=3.81, p<0.001; R-squared=23.4%), then active travel (3.46, p<0.001; 23.2%) and PE (0.82, p>0.05; 21.5%). Associations followed a similar pattern in longitudinal analyses, albeit all non-significant. Conclusions: Childhood participation in organised sport contributed more to MVPA than active travel and PE cross-sectionally, but none of the PA domains predicted change in MVPA. A wide range of PA domains should be promoted to minimise the age-related decline in MVPA during childhood. Funding: UK Medical Research Council [MC_UU_00006/5].

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Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Ikeda, E., Guagliano, J., Atkin, A., Sherar, L., Hansen, B., Ekelund, U., & van Sluijs, E. (2021). Which activity domain contributes most to (changes in) accelerometer-assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in young people? Oral Presentation B4.7. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.511