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Sedentary behaviours among Australian adolescents
Louise L Hardy1, Timothy Dobbins, Michael L Booth
1NSW Centre for Overweight and Obesity, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales. louiseh@health.usyd.edu.au
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
|January 11, 2007
Summary
Sedentary behaviour in Australian adolescents is high, with small screen recreation (SSR) dominating. Patterns vary by demographics, and understanding these is key for intervention programs.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioural Science
Background:
- Sedentary behaviour is a growing public health concern among adolescents.
- Understanding patterns is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
- Previous research has highlighted varying levels of inactivity in youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and distribution of sedentary behaviour in Australian adolescents aged 11-15 years.
- To examine sedentary behaviour patterns across demographic characteristics and Body Mass Index (BMI) categories.
- To identify key types of sedentary activities among adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional population survey of 2,750 school students in New South Wales (2004).
- Self-reported weekly time spent in five sedentary behaviour categories: small screen recreation (SSR), education, cultural activities, social activities, and non-active travel.
- Objective measurement of height and weight to determine BMI categories.
Main Results:
- Adolescents spent significant amounts of discretionary time in sedentary behaviour (34-45 hours/week by grade level).
- Urban students and those from Asian-speaking backgrounds reported higher sedentary time.
- Small screen recreation (SSR) constituted over half of all sedentary behaviour, with overweight/obese students spending more time on SSR.
Conclusions:
- Sedentary behaviour patterns in adolescents are influenced by sex, age, and cultural background.
- Small screen recreation (SSR) is the predominant sedentary activity.
- While BMI showed some association with sedentary behaviour, it was not consistent across all age groups.
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