Evaluation of policies to promote physical activity in afterschool programs: are we meeting current benchmarks? Physical activity, diet and BMI in children aged 6–8 years: a cross-sectional analysis Objectively measured physical activity level and sedentary behavior in Norwegian children during a week in preschool☆ Organized Sport Participation Is Associated with Higher Levels of Overall Health-Related Physical Activity in Children (CHAMPS Study-DK) Can we skill and activate children through primary school physical education lessons? "Move it Groove it"--a collaborative health promotion intervention. How active are our children? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study Exploring effective strategies for increasing the amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity children accumulate during recess: a quasi-experimental intervention study. Intrapersonal, social and physical environmental determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in working-age women: a systematic review protocol Greater Adherence to Recommended Morning Physical Activity is Associated With Greater Total Intervention-Related Physical Activity Changes in Bariatric Surgery Patients. Physical activity and femoral neck bone strength during childhood: the Iowa Bone Development Study. Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Results From a Prospective Cohort Study. Sustained effects of physical activity on bone health: Iowa Bone Development Study. A pedometer-based physical activity intervention for patients entering a maintenance cardiac rehabilitation program: a pilot study. Assessment of a two-year school-based physical activity intervention among 7-9-year-old children A comprehensive physical activity promotion programme at elementary school: the effects on physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of physical activity. Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in children. The Relationship of Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour with Gestational Weight Gain and Birth Weight MVPA Is Associated with Lower Weight Gain in 8–10 Year Old Children: A Prospective Study with 1 Year Follow-Up Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time: cross-sectional and prospective associations with adiposity in the Millennium Cohort Study A randomized controlled trial of continuous activity, short bouts, and a 10,000 step guideline in inactive adults. Preschool children physical activity measurement: importance of epoch length choice. Secular and longitudinal physical activity changes in population‐based samples of children and adolescents Effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention on obesity in school children: a nonrandomized controlled trial Using step cadence goals to increase moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity. Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Weight Outcomes: Does Every Minute Count?
BACKGROUND Policies now recommend afterschool programs ( ASP , 3 - 6 pm ) provide children a minimum amount of physical activity daily . We examined the extent to which children attending ASPs meet existing national and state-level policies that specify expected levels of physical activity ( PA ) . METHODS Accelerometer-derived physical activity ( light and moderate-to-vigorous , MVPA ) of 253 children ( 5 - 13 years ) was compared to policies that recommend varying amounts of PA children should achieve during an ASP . RESULTS The proportion of children achieving a policy ranged from 0.0 % ( California 60 min MVPA and North Carolina 20 % of daily program time devoted to MVPA ) , 1.2 % ( California 30 min MVPA ) , to 48.2 % ( National Afterschool Association 30 min light plus MVPA ) . R and om effects logistic models indicated boys ( odds ratio [ OR ] range 2.0 to 6.27 ) and children from a minority background ( Black/Hispanic , OR range 1.87 to 3.98 ) were more likely to achieve a recommended level of physical activity , in comparison to girls and White children . Neither age nor BMI were related to achieving a policy . CONCLUSIONS The PA of children attending ASP falls below policy recommended levels ; however , these policies were developed in absence of data on expected PA levels during ASPs . Thus , concerted effort towards building a stronger ASP evidence -base for policy refinement is required Objective To assess relationships between current physical activity ( PA ) , dietary intake and body mass index (  BMI ) in English children . Design and setting Longitudinal birth cohort study in northeast Engl and , cross-sectional analysis . Participants 425 children ( 41 % of the original cohort ) aged 6–8 years ( 49 % boys ) . Main outcome measures  PA  over 7 days was measured objective ly by an accelerometer ; three categories of PA were created : ‘ active ’ ≥60 min/day moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA ( MVPA ) ; ‘ moderately active ’ 30–59 min/day MVPA ; ‘ inactive ’ < 30 min/day MVPA . Dietary intake  over 4 days was measured using a prospect i ve dietary assessment tool which incorporated elements of the food diary and food frequency methods . Three diet categories were created : ‘ healthy ’ , ‘ unhealthy ’ and ‘ mixed ’ , according to the number of portions of different foods consumed . Adherence to the ‘ 5-a-day ’ recommendations for portions of fruit and vegetables was also assessed . Children were classified as ‘ healthy weight ’ or ‘ overweight or obese ’ ( OW/OB ) according to International Obesity Taskforce cutpoints for BMI . Associations between weight status and PA/diet categories were analysed using logistic regression . Results Few children met the UK-recommended guidelines for either MVPA or fruit and vegetable intake , with just 7 % meeting the recommended amount of MVPA of 60 min/day , and 3 % meeting the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable recommendation .  Higher PA  was associated with a lower OR for OW/OB in boys only ( 0.20 , 95 % CI 0.04 to 0.88 ) . There was no association detected between dietary intake and OW/OB in either sex . Conclusions Increasing MVPA may help to reduce OW/OB in boys ; however , more research is required to examine this relationship in girls . Children are not meeting the UK guidelines for diet and PA , and more needs to be done to improve this situation Although many studies have reported on  physical activity ( PA ) levels using accelerometers , a thorough description of the PA pattern in preschool children during their stay in the preschool , is lacking in the current literature . Furthermore , there remains a lack of underst and ing of the PA level and pattern in children in the lower end of the PA continuum . The first aim of this study was therefore to describe the PA pattern during a week-long stay in a preschool in all children born in 2011 ( either three or four-year-olds ) attending public preschools in a municipality in Norway . The second aim was to describe the PA level and pattern of the children who are the least physically active . This cross-sectional study included baseline data from 95 % of children ( N = 111 ) participating in a r and omized controlled physical activity intervention ( Active Kindergarten – Active Children study ) . The participants wore an Actigraph accelerometer , in week 39 in 2015 , from when they arrived at the preschool on Monday morning and throughout their stay of five consecutive days . The amount of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA ( MVPA ) per day ranged from 16 min to 116 min , and sedentary time ranged from 2.7 h to 6.5 h per day in the least and most sedentary child , respectively . The least physically active 25 % of children were less active throughout the entire day , and only a few of them managed to achieve the recommended level of MVPA on any weekday . The physical activity levels and patterns among the least active children described in this study may help to inform interventions targeting this group Introduction Many children fail to meet international guideline recommendations for health-related activity ( ≥60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [ MVPA ] ) , and intervention studies to date have reported negligible effects . Objective Explore the associations of organized leisure-time sport participation with overall physical activity levels and health-related physical activity guideline concordance . Methods This prospect i ve cohort study was nested in the Childhood Health , Activity , and Motor Performance School Study Denmark . Study participants were a representative sample of 1124 primary school students .  Organized leisure-time sport participation was reported via text messaging and physical activity was objective ly measured over seven days with accelerometry . Associations between sport participation and physical activity level were explored with multilevel mixed-effects regression models and reported with beta coefficients ( b ) and adjusted odds ratios ( aOR ) . Results Participants were 53 % female , with mean(SD ) age = 8.4(1.4 ) years . Boys were more active than girls ( p<0.001 ) , and physical activity levels and guideline concordance decreased with age ( p<0.001 ) . Soccer participation at any frequency was associated with greater overall MVPA ( b[95 % CI ] = 0.66[0.20,1.13 ] to 2.44[1.44,3.44 ] ) . Depending on participation frequency , this equates to 5–20 minutes more MVPA on the average day and 3 to 15 fold increased odds of achieving recommended levels of health-related physical activity ( aOR[95%CI ] = 3.04[1.49,6.19 ] to 14.49[1.97,106.56 ] ) . Similar associations were identified among children playing h and ball at least twice per week . Relationships with other sports ( gymnastics , basketball , volleyball ) were inconsistent . Conclusions Many children , particularly girls and those in higher grade levels do not adhere to health-related physical activity recommendations . Organized leisure-time sport participation may be a viable strategy to increase overall health-related physical activity levels and international guideline concordance in children BACKGROUND Physical education ( PE ) lessons are an ideal setting to improve child fundamental movement skills ( FMSs ) and increase physical activity ( PA ) for optimal health . Despite this , few studies have assessed the potential to do both simultaneously . The " Move It Groove It " primary school intervention in New South Wales , Australia , had this opportunity . METHODS A whole school approach to implementation included establishment of school project teams , a teacher " buddy " system , project Web site , teacher training workshops , and small grants for equipment . The quasi-experimental evaluation involved 1,045 year 3 and 4 children ( aged 7 to 10 years ) in nine intervention and nine control rural primary schools ( 53 % boys/47 % girls ) . It utilised pre- and postobservational surveys of ( 1 ) mastery or near mastery levels for each of eight FMSs , ( 2 ) proportion of PE lesson time spent in moderate to vigorous PA ( MVPA ) and vigorous PA ( VPA ) , and ( 3 ) teacher- and lesson-related context ual covariates . Data were analysed by hierarchical logistic multiple regression . RESULTS For FMSs , overall mastery or near mastery level at baseline was 47 % ranging from 22.7 % for the overarm throw among girls to 75.4 % for the static balance among boys . The intervention delivered substantial improvements in every FMS for both genders ranging from 7.2 % to 25.7 % ( 13 of 16 comparisons were significant ) . For PA level , mean MVPA at baseline was 34.7 % . Baseline MVPA for boys was 38.7 % and for girls was 33.2 % . The intervention was associated with a nonsignificant 4.5 % increase in MVPA and a significant 3.0 % increase in VPA . This translates to a gain of < 1 minute of MVPA per average 21-minute lesson . CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show that by modifying existing PE lessons , significant improvements in FMS mastery can be gained without adversely affecting children 's MVPA and VPA . To increase PA levels , we recommend increasing the number of PE lessons per week Objective To describe levels of physical activity , sedentary time and adherence to Chief Medical Officers ( CMO ) physical activity guidelines among primary school-aged children across the UK using objective accelerometer-based measurements . Design Nationally representative prospect i ve cohort study . Setting Children born across the UK , between 2000 and 2002 . Participants 6497 7-year-old to 8-year-old singleton children for whom reliable accelerometer data were available for at least 10 h a day for at least 2 days . Main outcome measures Physical activity in counts per minute ( cpm ) ; time spent in sedentary and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) ; proportion of children meeting CMO guidelines ( ≥60 min/day MVPA ) ; average daily steps . Explanatory measures Gender , ethnicity , maternal current/most recent occupation , lone parenthood status , number of children in the household and country/region of residence . Results The median daily physical activity level was 595 cpm ( IQR 507 , 697 ) . Children spent a median of 60 min ( IQR 47–76 ) in MVPA/day and were sedentary for a median of 6.4 h/day ( IQR 6–7 ) . Only 51 % met CMO guidelines , with girls ( 38 % ) less active than boys ( 63 % ) . Children took an average of 10 229 ( 95 % CI ( 8777 to 11 775 ) ) steps each day . Children of Indian ethnicity were significantly less active overall than all other ethnic groups . Children of Bangladeshi origin and those living in Northern Irel and were least likely to meet CMO guidelines . Conclusions Only half of 7-year-old children in the UK achieve recommended levels of physical activity , with significant gender , ethnic and geographic variations . Longitudinal studies are needed to better underst and the relevance of these (in)activity patterns for long-term health and well-being . In the meantime population -wide efforts to boost physical activity among young people are needed which are likely to require a broad range of policy interventions BACKGROUND Less than half of elementary children meet the physical activity recommendations of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) on a daily basis . Recess provides the single biggest opportunity for children to accumulate MVPA . This study explored whether a teacher 's social prompting to be active during recess alone and modeling of active recess-time games alone may increase the amount of MVPA children accumulate during recess . METHODS Three demographically matched schools were r and omly assigned to receive a social prompting intervention , modeling intervention , or to serve as a comparison group . Pre- and postintervention physical activity data was collected utilizing accelerometers . RESULTS Compared with preintervention , MVPA during recess increased significantly in the social prompting group and decreased significantly in the modeling group . There were no significant changes in the comparison group . There was a significant interaction between time and intervention : pre- to postintervention change between interventions was significant for modeling versus comparison and modeling versus social prompting , but not for social prompting versus comparison . CONCLUSIONS Modeling was not an effective strategy for increasing MVPA during recess . Social prompting may be an effective strategy for increasing MVPA during recess . However , larger studies are needed to determine whether social prompting increases MVPA during recess . In light of evidence suggesting that MVPA is linked to lower obesity rates , and a substantial number of health and academic benefits , social prompting may be a useful strategy to further explore to address the childhood obesity epidemic , and improve students ' health and academic outcomes Background The majority of North American adult females do not meet current physical activity recommendations ( 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) per week accrued in ≥10 min bouts ) ultimately placing themselves at increased risk of morbidity and mortality . Working-age females face particular challenges in meeting physical activity recommendations as they have multiple dem and s , including occupational , family and social dem and s. To develop effective interventions to increase MVPA among working-age females , it is necessary to identify and underst and the strongest modifiable determinants influencing these behaviours . Therefore , the objective of this systematic review is to examine the available evidence to identify intrapersonal , social and environmental determinants of MVPA among working-age females . Methods / Design Six electronic data bases will be search ed to identify all prospect i ve cohort studies that report on intrapersonal , social and /or environmental determinants of  MVPA  in working-age females . Grey literature sources including theses , published conference abstract s and websites from relevant organizations will also be included . Articles that report on intrapersonal ( e.g. health status , self-efficacy , socio-economic status ( SES ) , stress , depression ) , social environmental ( e.g. crime , safety , area SES , social support , climate and capital , policies ) , and environmental ( e.g. weather , workplace , home , neighbourhood , recreation environment , active transportation ) determinants of MVPA  in a working-age ( mean age 18–65 years ) female population will be included . Risk of bias will be assessed within and across all included studies using the Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies and the Grade s of Recommendation , Assessment , Development and Evaluation approach . Harvest plots will be used to synthesize results across all determinants , and meta-analyses will be conducted where possible among studies with sufficient homogeneity . Discussion This review will provide a comprehensive examination of evidence in this field and will serve to highlight gaps for future research on the determinants of MVPA in working-age females and ultimately inform intervention design . Systematic review registration PROSPERO : CRD42014009750 BACKGROUND This study examines whether performance of bout-related physical activity ( PA ) during morning hours is related to greater overall bout-related PA increases within a preoperative PA intervention for bariatric surgery ( BS ) patients . METHODS Participants with severe obesity ( n = 33 ; mean age = 45.6 ± 9.6 years ; BMI = 45.7 ± 7.0 kg/m2 ) seeking BS were r and omized to and completed 6 weeks of preoperative PA counseling ( retention = 82.5 % ) . Participants were encouraged to walk daily at a moderate intensity in bouts ≥ 10 minutes during morning hours to overcome time-related obstacles and establish a PA habit . Timing and amount of bout-related moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA )  was assessed via objective monitor at pre- and postintervention . RESULTS Greater proportion of bout-related MVPA performed during morning hours ( 4:00 AM-12:00 PM ) at postintervention was associated with larger total increases in bout-related MVPA minutes/day ( β = .40 , P = .03 ) . At postintervention , a greater proportion of participants whose longest MVPA bouts occurred during morning hours ( n = 11 ) achieved the public health guideline ( ie , ≥150 bout-related MVPA minutes/week ) versus those whose longest MVPA bouts occurred during nonmorning hours ( n = 19 ; 63.6 % vs. 26.3 % , P = .04 ) . CONCLUSIONS Intervention-related increases in PA  tended to be greatest when PA was performed in the morning . Morning exercise may be a viable strategy for promoting habitual PA in inactive BS patients Structural adaptations of bone to changing mechanical loads have recently been documented during adolescence . However , little is known about how bone adapts structurally during the earlier years . Using a longitudinal observational design spanning 6 years of growth ( age range 4 to 12 years ) , we investigated associations between everyday physical activity and hip geometry in a cohort of healthy Midwestern children ( n=468 ) . Femoral neck ( FN ) cross sectional area ( CSA , cm(2 ) ) and FN section modulus ( Z , cm(3 ) ) were used to describe hip geometry . CSA and Z , indices of axial and bending strength , were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) scans and the hip structure analysis ( HSA ) program . Moderate and vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) was assessed using accelerometry-based activity monitors and calculated as the number of minutes > or = 3000 accelerometry movement counts . Data were analyzed using multilevel ( r and om- and fixed-effects ) regression models with adjustment for age ( year ) , height ( cm ) , and weight ( kg ) or lean mass ( kg ) . For boys and girls , MVPA was a positive independent predictor of CSA and Z ( p<0.05 ) . On average , children who participated in 40 min of MVPA per day would be expected to have 3 % to 5 % greater CSA and Z than peers participating in 10 min of MVPA per day . Ten-minute increases in daily MVPA had similar effects on CSA in girls and Z in boys as did each additional 1 kg of body weight . When lean mass was substituted for weight , MVPA continued to be a positive independent predictor of CSA and Z for boys , but not girls . This study demonstrates that everyday amounts of physical activity in children are associated with indices of FN bone strength during childhood . Differences in lean mass mediate associations between physical activity and hip geometry in girls , but only somewhat in boys . These results suggest that physical activity is an important contributor to bone strength prior to adolescence and that increasing levels of physical activity during childhood are likely to enhance optimal bone strength BACKGROUND The objective was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life ( HRQL ) in adults with type 2 diabetes . METHODS Data were from a prospect i ve cohort of adults with type 2 diabetes .  Weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) was reported using the Godin Leisure-Time Physical Activity Question naire , and HRQL was reported using the SF-12 and 5-level EQ-5D . Participants were categorized based on current weekly MVPA recommendations . Multivariable linear regression was used to explore associations between MVPA and HRQL , and multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the direction of change in HRQL after 1 year . RESULTS Mean age of participants ( N = 1948 ) was 64.5 ± 10.8 years and 45 % were female . Participants reported a mean of 84.1 ± 172.4 min of MVPA/week , and 21 % ( n = 416 ) met weekly MVPA recommendations . MVPA was associated with differences in the physical functioning ( b = 5.42 ; P < .001 ) , general health ( b = 2.45 ; P = .037 ) , and vitality ( b = 2.83 ; P = .016 ) SF-12 dimensions . Participants who met recommendations were less likely to report a decline ( vs. no change ) in EQ-5D index score ( OR = 0.75 ; 95 % CI [ 0.57 , 0.99 ] ) , and SF-12 physical component summary ( OR = 0.67 ; 95 % CI [ 0.50 , 0.90 ] ) , compared with participants not meeting recommendations . CONCLUSIONS Participants who met weekly MVPA recommendations reported better physical functioning and were more likely to maintain their physical and overall HRQL over time Studies of youth athletics and interventions have shown some maintenance of bone mineral content ( BMC ; g ) after cessation of training , but less is known about sustained effects of everyday physical activity ( PA ) . Using a prospect i ve cohort , this report examined potential effects of  childhood PA  on  adolescent BMC . Participants ( N=156 boys , 170 girls ) had exams at ages 5 , 13 , and 15 . Body size and maturity were determined using anthropometry . Moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA ( MVPA ) and vigorous-intensity PA ( Vigorous PA ) were measured using accelerometry .  BMC of the spine and hip was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry . Mixed regression models tested whether PA at age 5 affected BMC at ages 13 and 15 after adjustment for age ( year ) , height ( cm ) , weight ( kg ) , maturity ( pre-peak height velocity or post ) , and activity level ( min/day ) . Analysis was repeated to control for age 5 BMC . On average , boys participated in 59 , 52 , and 38 min of MVPA and 13 , 17 , and 11 min of Vigorous PA at ages 5 , 13 , and 15 , respectively . MVPA ( β=0.799 ) and Vigorous PA ( β=1.338 ) at age 5 predicted later spine BMC ( p<0.05 ) . MVPA ( β=0.480 ) at age 5 predicted hip BMC . Girls participated in 47 , 33 , and 26 min of MVPA and 10 , 9 and 7 min of Vigorous PA at ages 5 , 13 , and 15 , respectively . Neither MVPA nor Vigorous PA  predicted later spine BMC . MVPA ( β=0.302 ) at age 5 predicted hip BMC . After controlling for BMC at age 5 as well as the other covariates , the effect of MVPA ( β=0.695 ) and Vigorous PA ( β=1.079 ) at age 5 remained significant for boys at the spine . For girls , neither MVPA nor Vigorous PA at age 5 predicted spine or hip BMC . Children 's early PA  appears to have a modest effect on  adolescent BMC at the critical regions of spine and hip ; benefits may be greater for geometric changes , which future studies should include PURPOSE To compare the effects of an individualized pedometer-driven physical activity ( PA ) intervention with the usual time-based PA recommendations given to patients entering a maintenance cardiac rehabilitation ( CR ) program . METHODS A total of 18 subjects entering a maintenance CR program were recruited and completed the study . Subjects were r and omized into pedometer feedback [ PF : n=10 ( 2 women ) , 53.3±8.1 yrs ] and usual care [ UC : n=8 ( 2 women ) , 59.4±9.9 yrs ] groups . New Lifestyles NL-1000 pedometers were used to  monitor ambulatory PA . Subjects in both groups participated in the same maintenance CR program for a total of 8 weeks and all were encouraged to obtain a minimum of 30 - 40 min/d of moderate-vigorous-intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) , on days they did not attend CR . Subjects in the PF group were given individualized daily stepcount goals ( increase 10 % of baseline steps/d each week ) for weeks 2 - 8 . Ambulatory PA  was measured with pedometers , recording both total number of steps/d and min/d of MVPA . Measures were obtained during the first week of the maintenance CR program and during the 8th week . Data were also compared between days subjects attended and on days they did not attend . RESULTS By the 8th week of CR , PF subjects increased daily stepcounts by 42 % ( 2,297±1,606 steps/d , P=0.001 ) , with a 36 % increase on CR days ( 2,654±2,089 steps/d , P=0.003 ) and a 45 % increase on days they did not attend CR ( 1,872±2,026 steps/d , P=0.017 ) . There were no changes observed in the UC group . CONCLUSIONS Providing pedometers with individualized stepcount goals to patients entering a CR program was superior to the usual time-based PA recommendations for increasing PA Background  Physical activity ( PA )  in children has declined in recent decades , highlighting the need for effective intervention programs for school-aged children . The main objective of this study was to assess to what extent PA during and after school hours changed among children who received a progressive two-year long intervention vs. that of children who only received general curriculum-based PA .  Methods A cluster r and omized intervention study was conducted and six elementary schools r and omly assigned to serve as control- or intervention schools . All children attending second grade ( mean age = 7.4 years - born in 1999 ) were invited to participate in the fall of 2006 ( N = 320 , 82 % participated ) , again in 2007 ( midpoint ) and 2008 ( end of intervention ) . The intervention consisted of multi-component PA-intervention during school hours and was conducted by teachers at each intervention school . PA  was assessed by means of accelerometers and subjectively at the intervention schools via teachers ' PA log-books . Results There was no difference in PA intensity ( minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity - min of MVPA ) between the two study groups at baseline , but children in the intervention schools were more physically active at moderate-to-vigorous intensity compared to those in control schools after one year of intervention ( mean difference of MVPAlog-minutes : 0.61 , 95%CI : 0.02 , 1.20 , p = 0.04 ) . Moreover , the model for minutes of MVPA during school hours , showed a significant three-way interaction between time at mid-point , group and gender ( mean difference of MVPAlog-minutes : 1.06 , 95%CI : 0.15 , 1.97 , p = .02 ) , indicating a significantly greater increase among the boys in the intervention schools compared to girls . No difference in PA was detected between the study groups at the end of the study period after two years of intervention . Conclusions The results suggest that the objective of increasing PA at school was met after one year of intervention , and it was more pronounced among boys . The lack of increase at the end of the study period suggested that any increase in  PA  during school may highly depend on both motivation and training of general teachers . Boys may respond better to PA interventions such as the one described in this study OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a comprehensive physical activity ( PA ) promotion programme in elementary schools on children 's total PA levels , leisure-time PA , physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of PA . DESIGN A pre-test-post-test design over two school years . SETTING AND SUBJECTS Sixteen elementary schools ( 764 children , mean age : 11.2 + /- 0.7 years ) were r and omly assigned to the intervention condition ( n = 8) and the control condition ( n = 8) . The intervention included a health-related physical education programme , an extracurricular PA promotion programme and classroom-based PA education lessons . In the total sample , leisure-time PA , psychosocial correlates of PA and physical fitness were measured using a PA question naire and the Eurofit test battery . In a sub- sample , total PA levels were measured using an accelerometer . RESULTS According to accelerometer data , children 's moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) levels decreased less in the intervention schools than in the control schools ( P < 0.01 ) . The average time spent on MVPA decreased by 9 min per day in the intervention schools compared with 33 min per day in the control schools . Children in the intervention schools reported significantly more moderate PA in leisure time than the controls ( P < 0.05 ) . No overall improvement of physical fitness and no effects on the psychosocial correlates of PA were found . CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive PA promotion programme was successful in preventing a decline in children 's  total activity levels . Furthermore , the intervention increased children 's PA engagement in leisure time . Therefore , implementation needs to be encouraged PURPOSE This study was conducted to determine the effect of physical education class enrollment and physical activity on academic achievement in middle school children . METHODS Participants were 214 sixth- grade students r and omly assigned to physical education during either first or second semesters .  Moderate and vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) ( number of 30-min time blocks ) outside of school was assessed using the 3-d physical activity recall ( 3DPAR ) . The 3DPAR time blocks were converted to ordinal data with scores of 1 ( no activity ) , 2 ( some activity ) , or 3 ( activity meeting Healthy People 2010 guidelines ) . Academic achievement was assessed using grade s from four core academic classes and st and ardized test scores ( Terra Nova percentiles ) . RESULTS Grade s were similar regardless of whether students were enrolled in physical education during first or second semesters . Physical education classes averaged only 19 min of MVPA . Students who either performed some or met Healthy People 2010 guidelines for vigorous activity had significantly higher grade s ( P < 0.05 ) than students who performed no vigorous activity in both semesters . Moderate physical activity did not affect grade s. St and ardized test scores were not significantly related to physical education class enrollment or physical activity levels . CONCLUSION Although academic achievement was not significantly related to physical education enrollment , higher grade s were associated with vigorous physical activity , particularly activity meeting recommended Healthy People 2010 levels Objective . To evaluate the relationship of physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary behaviour with  gestational weight gain ( GWG ) and birth weight . Design . Combined data from two prospect i ve studies : ( 1 ) nulliparous pregnant women without BMI restrictions and ( 2 ) overweight and obese pregnant women at risk for gestational diabetes . Methods . Daily PA and sedentary behaviour were measured with an accelerometer around 15 and at 32–35 weeks of gestation . The association between time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) and in  sedentary activities  with GWG and birth weight was determined . Main outcome measures were GWG between 15 and 32 weeks of gestation , average GWG per week , and birth weight . Results . We studied 111 women . Early in pregnancy , 32 % of women spent ≥30 minutes/day in at least moderate PA versus 12 % in late pregnancy . No significant associations were found between time spent in MVPA or sedentary behaviour with GWG or birth weight . Conclusions . We found no relation  between MVPA and sedentary behaviour with GWG or birth weight . The small percentage of women meeting the recommended levels of PA indicates the need to inform and support pregnant women to maintain regular PA , as there seems to be no adverse effect on birth weight and maintaining PA increases overall health Background Studies relating physical activity ( PA ) to  weight gain in children have produced mixed results , although there is some evidence for stronger associations with more intense physical activities . The present study tested the hypothesis that weight gain over one year in 8–10 year olds would be more strongly predicted by moderate and vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) than total physical activity ( total PA ) or sedentary behaviour . Methodology Participants were 280 children taking part in the Physical Exercise and Appetite in Children Study ( PEACHES ) .  Weight status was assessed using body mass index ( BMI ) , fat mass index ( FMI ) , and waist circumference ( WC ) in school Year 4 ( baseline ; age 8.7 yrs ) and Year 5 ( follow-up ; age 9.7 yrs ) .  Physical activity  was measured at baseline using the Actigraph GT1 M accelerometer to assess total PA ( mean accelerometers counts per minute ) , MVPA ; ≥4000 counts per minute ) and sedentary time  ( < 100 counts per minute ) . Principal Findings After adjustment for baseline BMI , SES , sex and ethnicity , MVPA  was significantly associated with follow – up BMI ( adjusted β = −0.07 ; p = 0.002 ) . This association was independent of total PA or sedentary time  . Similar results were observed for FMI ; again MVPA was significantly associated with follow up FMI ( β = −0.16 ; p = 0.001 ) independent  of total PA or sedentary time . The pattern was similar for WC ( β = −0.07 ) , but the association between MVPA and WC did not reach significance at p = 0.06 . Conclusion The results of this study strongly support promotion of MVPA in children Objective To examine whether physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary time ( ST ) in primary school-aged children are associated with adiposity at the start of secondary school , and whether these associations differ by sex or ethnic group . Design Nationally representative prospect i ve cohort study . Setting Children born across the UK , between 2000 and 2002 . Participants 6497 singleton children . Outcome measures Measures of adiposity ( body mass index ( BMI ) , fat mass index ( FMI ) and fat free mass index (FFMI))—obtained at 7 and 11 years . Explanatory measures  Total daily PA ( mean counts per minute ( cpm ) ) ; minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) ; and ST .  All assessed at 7 years using accelerometers . Results In cross-sectional analyses , total PA was inversely associated with FMI ( 3.7 % ( 95 % CI 2.7 % to 4.7 % ) reduction per 150 cpm increase ) , as was MVPA ( 4.2 % ( CI 3.2 % to 5.2 % ) reduction per 20 min/day increase ) . Associations were stronger in black and South Asian ethnic groups . Total PA and MVPA were not associated with FFMI . ST was positively associated with FMI ( 1.3 % ( CI 0.2 % to 2.3 % ) increase per 50 min/day increase ) and inversely associated with FFMI ( 0.5 % ( CI 0.2 % to 0.7 % ) reduction per 50 min/day increase ) . Longitudinally , MVPA at age 7 years remained inversely associated with FMI at age 11 years ( 1.5 % ( CI 0.4 % to 2.6 % ) reduction per 20 min/day increase ) . No association was found between total PA and ST and any of the later adiposity measures . Conclusions 7-year-old children who are more physically active are less likely to be obese at that age and at age 11 years . These associations were particularly evident in children from black or South Asian ethnicity at age 7 years and in boys at age 11 years . Measurements of fat mass provide valuable insights into ethnic differences in associations between adiposity and activity OBJECTIVE Although several studies have examined the effect of accumulated bouts on health outcomes , the impact of recommending short bouts on activity-related behavior in health promotion efforts has received minimal investigation . METHOD During this 5-week study in 2007 - 2008 , 43 university employees ( 8 male , 35 female ) in the Southeastern United States were r and omly assigned to a group recommended to achieve ( a ) 10,000 steps ( 10 K ) , ( b ) 30-minutes ( 30 min ) of continuous physical activity , or ( c ) 30-minutes of activity in bouts of at least 10 minutes ( bouts ) . RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the 10 K group showed the largest increase in step counts whereas the bouts group showed the smallest change over the intervention period , p=0.01 . Condition differences were most pronounced on days in which participants met their activity recommendation . Accelerometer results revealed that the 10 K ( d=1.1 ) and 30 min groups ( d=0.89 ) showed large increases in minutes of moderate to vigorous activity ( MVPA ) , whereas the bouts group showed minimal change ( d=0.11 ) . Although activity recommendations did not differentially affect self-efficacy , participants from all conditions showed decreased self-efficacy across the intervention ( p=0.02 ) , highlighting the need to develop strategies to increase self-efficacy in activity promotion efforts The purpose of this study was twofold : first to document the gender differences in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity ( MVPA ) according to two epoch systems ( 5 vs. 60 s ) in preschoolers , and , second to document the differences in physical activity ( PA ) patterns according to two different epoch choices . The sample comprised 59 preschoolers ( 31 girls ) aged 2 - 5 years old .  PA was assessed by accelerometer during school hours . The time spent in MVPA was significantly higher ( p < .001 ) when a 5-s epoch was considered compared to the 60-s epoch , regardless gender . Further , it was found a difference of ? 17 min difference between the 2 epoch systems for MVPA . Different epoch times might affect the time spent in MVPA among preschool children The aims of this study were to investigate whether  physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary time ( ST )  in 9- and 15-year-olds differed between 2005 - 2006 and 2011 - 2012 ( secular change ) , and to investigate changes in PA and ST from age 9 to 15 ( longitudinal change ) . In 2005 - 2006 , we invited nationally representative sample s of Norwegian 9- ( n=1470 ) and 15-year-olds ( n=1348 ) to participate . In 2011 - 2012 , we invited a new nationally representative sample of 9-year-olds ( n=1945 ) , whereas 15-year-olds ( n=1759 ) were invited to participate either based on previous participation in 2005 - 2006 or from a r and om sample of schools . We assessed PA and ST objective ly using accelerometers . In 2011 - 2012 , both 9- and 15-year-olds spent more time sedentary ( ≥35.7 min/d , P<.001 ) and less time in light PA ( ≥35.2 min/d , P<.001 ) compared to their peers in 2005 - 2006 . Nine-year-old girls also spent less time in moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) ( 4.2 min/d , P=.041 ) . In both age groups , the proportion accumulating an average of 60 min/d of MVPA did not differ between the two cohorts . From age 9 to 15 , girls and boys decreased their time spent in LPA ( ≥106.7 min/d , P<.001 ) and in MVPA ( ≥20.8 min/d , P<.001 ) . During the same period , ST increased by a mean of > 2 h/d ( P<.011 ) . We observed an adverse secular change in PA from 2005 - 2006 to 2011 - 2012 among 9- and 15-year-olds , and a large decline in PA in the participants followed longitudinally from age 9 to 15 years Background Childhood obesity has been a serious public health problem . An effective school-based physical activity ( PA ) intervention is still lacking in China . This study aim ed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention during 12 weeks on obesity and related health outcomes  in school children . Methods It was a non-r and omized controlled trial . Altogether 921 children aged 7 to 15 years were recruited at baseline survey . Children in the intervention group ( n = 388 ) participated in a multi-component physical activity intervention during 12 weeks that included improvement of physical education , extracurricular physical activities for overweight/obese students , physical activities at home , and health education lectures for students and parents . Children ( n = 533 ) in the control group participated in usual practice .  Results Participants had mean age of 10.4 years , mean body mass index ( BMI ) of 19.59 kg/m2 , and 36.8 % of them were overweight or obese at baseline survey . The change in BMI in intervention group ( −0.02 ± 0.06 kg/m2 ) was significantly different from that in control group ( 0.41 ± 0.08 kg/m2 ) . The adjusted mean difference was −0.43 kg/m2 ( 95 % CI : −0.63 to −0.23 kg/m2 , P < 0.001 ) . The effects on triceps , subscapular , abdominal skinfold thickness and fasting glucose were also significant in intervention group compared with control group ( all P < 0.05 ) . The change in duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) in intervention group ( 8.9 ± 4.3 min/day ) was significantly different from that in control group ( −13.8 ± 3.3 min/day ) . The adjusted mean difference was 22.7 min/day ( 95 % CI : 12.2 to 33.2 min/day , P < 0.001 ) . Conclusions The school-based , multi-component physical activity intervention was effective to decreasing levels of BMI , skinfold thickness , fasting glucose and increasing duration of MVPA . These findings provided evidence for the development of effective and feasible school-based obesity interventions .Trial registration Clinical trials.gov Identifier : NCT02074332 ( 2014 - 02 - 26 BACKGROUND Increasing moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) is an important public health goal . Pedometers are evidence -based devices for increasing daily activity , but studies have not evaluated the comparative efficacy of step cadence goals for increasing MVPA . PURPOSE This study aim ed to evaluate the efficacy of three pedometer-based step goals for increasing MVPA . METHODS Latina women ( n = 180 ; 18 - 55 yr , mean body mass index = 31.1 , SD = 6.5 ) were recruited to 12 community centers , which were r and omly assigned to one of three conditions . Each group received an identical 12-wk theory-based physical activity ( PA ) intervention that differed only on the type of daily step goal : 1 ) a self-selected goal ( SELF ) ; 2 ) a goal of 10,000 steps per day ( FREQUENCY ) ; or 3 ) a goal of 3000 steps in 30 min ( CADENCE ) . Accelerometer-based PA  was measured at baseline and after 12 wk . RESULTS Adjusted multilevel pattern-mixture models using generalized estimating equations revealed that participants in the CADENCE condition engaged in similar levels of postintervention MVPA to those in the SELF and FREQUENCY goal conditions . However , MVPA of participants in the CADENCE condition was more likely to occur in bouts lasting greater than 10 consecutive minutes compared with the MVPA of participants in the SELF ( P = 0.01 ) or FREQUENCY ( P = 0001 ) conditions . CONCLUSIONS PA interventions should consider including a step cadence goal to help individuals accumulate bout-based MVPA and meet national PA guidelines Purpose . The purpose of this study was to test if moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) in less than the recommended ≥ 10-minute bouts related to weight outcomes . Design . Secondary data analysis . Setting . R and om sample from the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES ) . Participants . A total of 4511 adults aged 18 to 64 years from the 2003–2006 NHANES . Method . Clinical ly measured body mass index ( BMI ) and overweight/obese status were regressed on accelerometer measures of minutes per day in higher-intensity long bouts ( ≥ 10 minutes , ≥ 2020 accelerometer counts per minute [ cpm ] ) , higher-intensity short bouts ( < 10 minutes , ≥ 2020 cpm ) , lower-intensity long bouts ( ≥ 10 minutes , 760–2019 cpm ) , and lower-intensity short bouts ( < 10 minutes , 760–2019 cpm ) . Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were controlled . Results . Both higher-intensity short bouts and long bouts of PA  related to lower BMI and risk of overweight/obesity . Neither lower-intensity short bouts nor long bouts related to BMI or risk of overweight/obesity Conclusion . The current ≥ 10-minute MVPA bouts guideline was based on health benefits other than weight outcomes . Our findings showed that for weight gain prevention , accumulated higher-intensity PA bouts of < 10 minutes are highly beneficial , supporting the public health promotion message that “ every minute counts .
METHODS The results of recent systematic review s are discussed and supplemented with relevant literature not included in these review s. PubMed was search ed for the years 2006 - 2011 for additional topics not sufficiently covered by the review s. RESULTS PA was associated with lower blood pressure and a healthier lipid blood profile in children .
The association was stronger when a composite risk factor score was analysed , and the associations between physical fitness and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk factors were even stronger .
Muscle strength and endurance exercise each had an effect on blood lipids and insulin sensitivity even if the effect was smaller for muscle strength than for aerobic exercise .
New evidence suggests possible effects of PA  on C-reactive protein .
CONCLUSION There is accumulating evidence that PA can have beneficial effects on the risk factors of CVD in children .
BACKGROUND A number of recent systematic review s have result ed in changes in international recommendations for children 's participation in physical activity ( PA ) for health .
The World Health Authority ( WHO ) has recently released new recommendations .
The WHO still recommends 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , but also emphasises that these minutes should be on top of everyday physical activities .
Everyday physical activities total around 30 min of MVPA in the quintile of the least active children , which means that the new recommendations constitute more activity in total compared with earlier recommendations .
OBJECTIVE To summarise evidence justifying new PA recommendation for cardiovascular health in children .