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Physical activity in Dublin children aged 7-9 years.
1Trinity College School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. jmhussey@tcd.ie
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|July 31, 2001
Summary
This study found that many 7-9-year-old children have low physical activity levels, with boys being more active than girls. A significant amount of daily time is spent sedentary, particularly in screen-based activities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric health
- Exercise science
- Childhood physical activity
Background:
- Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels in children are critical determinants of long-term health.
- Understanding activity patterns in early school years is essential for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess regular physical activity and sedentary time in 7-9-year-old children.
- To examine sex differences in physical activity and school-based physical education.
- To identify current physical activity trends in Dublin schoolchildren.
Main Methods:
- Survey of a 10% sample of Dublin National Schools.
- Utilized a modified Modifiable Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents for parental reporting.
- Teachers provided data on school physical education time and facilities.
Main Results:
- 39% of children met guidelines for vigorous activity (≥20 min, 3x/week), with 53% of boys vs. 28% of girls achieving this.
- 57% engaged in light activity (≥20 min, 3x/week) with no sex difference.
- Boys exhibited higher estimated energy expenditure from regular activity.
- 78% of children spent 1-3 hours daily in screen-based sedentary activities.
Conclusions:
- Provides comprehensive data on physical activity in Dublin schoolchildren (7-9 years).
- High levels of inactivity are a significant concern.
- Boys demonstrate higher physical activity participation than girls at this young age.