TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical activity pattern of children assessed by triaxial accelerometry
AU - Hoos, M.B.
AU - Kuipers, H.
AU - Gerver, W.J.
AU - Westerterp, K.R.
PY - 2004/1/1
Y1 - 2004/1/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Accelerometry was used to assess the relationship between the physical activity level (PAL) and time spent on activities of various intensities in children. DESIGN: A total of 20 children aged 8.6+/-3.3 y wore a triaxial accelerometer (Tracmor2) for 2 weeks. PAL was calculated with Tracmor2 output data. The fraction of time spent on activities with a given level of intensity (low, moderate, high) was calculated. The fractions of time spent on activities of different intensities were compared with previously obtained data for young adults and elderly persons. RESULTS: PAL showed an inverse relation with the percentage of time spent on low-intensity activities (r = -0.76; P < 0.0001) and a positive relation with the percentage of time spent on high-intensity activities (r = 0.93; P < 0.0001). The fraction of time spent on low-intensity activities was smaller in children than in young adults (P < 0.05) and elderly persons (P < 0.0001), while the fraction spent on high-intensity activities (P < 0.0001) was larger. CONCLUSIONS: The present data are important for a better understanding of physical activity in children, which is necessary for education and prevention about physical (in)activity in childhood. Our observations suggest that to obtain a higher PAL in children, they should be given the opportunities to perform high-intensity activities.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Accelerometry was used to assess the relationship between the physical activity level (PAL) and time spent on activities of various intensities in children. DESIGN: A total of 20 children aged 8.6+/-3.3 y wore a triaxial accelerometer (Tracmor2) for 2 weeks. PAL was calculated with Tracmor2 output data. The fraction of time spent on activities with a given level of intensity (low, moderate, high) was calculated. The fractions of time spent on activities of different intensities were compared with previously obtained data for young adults and elderly persons. RESULTS: PAL showed an inverse relation with the percentage of time spent on low-intensity activities (r = -0.76; P < 0.0001) and a positive relation with the percentage of time spent on high-intensity activities (r = 0.93; P < 0.0001). The fraction of time spent on low-intensity activities was smaller in children than in young adults (P < 0.05) and elderly persons (P < 0.0001), while the fraction spent on high-intensity activities (P < 0.0001) was larger. CONCLUSIONS: The present data are important for a better understanding of physical activity in children, which is necessary for education and prevention about physical (in)activity in childhood. Our observations suggest that to obtain a higher PAL in children, they should be given the opportunities to perform high-intensity activities.
U2 - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601991
DO - 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601991
M3 - Article
C2 - 15127091
SN - 0954-3007
VL - 58
SP - 1425
EP - 1428
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 10
ER -