Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Age-related patterns of vigorous-intensity physical activity in youth: The International Children's Accelerometry Database

  • Kirsten Corder
  • , Stephen Sharp
  • , Andrew Atkin
  • , Lars Andersen
  • , Greet Cardon
  • , Angie Page
  • , Rachel DAVEY
  • , Anders Grontved
  • , Pedro Hallal
  • , Kathleen Janz
  • , Katarzyna Kordas
  • , Susi Kriemler
  • , Jardena Puder
  • , Luis Sardinha
  • , Ulf Ekelund
  • , Esther Van Sluijs
  • , et al.,

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Physical activity declines during youth but most evidence reports on combined moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity. We investigated how vigorous-intensity activity varies with age.Cross-sectional data from 24,025 participants (5.0-18.0 y; from 20 studies in 10 countries obtained 2008-2010) providing =. 1 day accelerometer data (International Children's Accelerometry Database (ICAD)). Linear regression was used to investigate age-related patterns in vigorous-intensity activity; models included age (exposure), adjustments for monitor wear-time and study. Moderate-intensity activity was examined for comparison. Interactions were used to investigate whether the age/vigorous-activity association differed by sex, weight status, ethnicity, maternal education and region.A 6.9% (95% CI 6.2, 7.5) relative reduction in mean vigorous-intensity activity with every year of age was observed; for moderate activity the relative reduction was 6.0% (5.6%, 6.4%). The age-related decrease in vigorous-intensity activity remained after adjustment for moderate activity. A larger age-related decrease in vigorous activity was observed for girls (-. 10.7%) versus boys (-. 2.9%), non-white (-. 12.9% to -. 9.4%) versus white individuals (-. 6.1%), lowest maternal education (high school (-. 2.0%)) versus college/university (ns) and for overweight/obese (-. 6.1%) versus healthy-weight participants (-. 8.1%). In addition to larger annual decreases in vigorous-intensity activity, overweight/obese individuals, girls and North Americans had comparatively lower average vigorous-intensity activity at 5.0-5.9 y.Age-related declines in vigorous-intensity activity during youth appear relatively greater than those of moderate activity. However, due to a higher baseline, absolute moderate-intensity activity decreases more than vigorous. Overweight/obese individuals, girls, and North Americans appear especially in need of vigorous-intensity activity promotion due to low levels at 5.0-5.9 y and larger negative annual differences
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)17-22
Number of pages6
JournalPreventive Medicine Reports
Volume4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Age-related patterns of vigorous-intensity physical activity in youth: The International Children's Accelerometry Database'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this