Trends in physical activity in Greenlandic schoolchildren, 1994-2006

To describe trends in self-reported physical activity among Greenlandic schoolchildren from 1994 to 2006, and to analyse associations between physical activity and quality of life, health, academic achievement, school satisfaction and substance use.

Trend analysis of the Greenlandic data reported in the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey on 11, 13, and 15 years olds in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

Analyses of associations data on all participating children in Greenland who were 11 to 17 years old in 2006 were used.

Only about 30% of all children aged 11, 13 and 15 years fulfilled the national recommendations of being moderately physically active for 60 minutes a day. A higher proportion of children were highly physically active in 2006 compared with earlier years while no trend was seen in the proportion of inactive children. Fewer children were moderately active as they aged, but at the same time more children seemed to become more physically active with increasing age. Fewer children in the settlements were highly physically active compared with children living in the towns and the capital. Physically active children had good academic achievement, good self-rated health and smoked less on a daily basis when compared with inactive children.

The results indicate that an increase in the level of physical activity among schoolchildren instead of a general decrease has taken place from 1994 to 2006. A high level of physical activity was associated with a positive rating of health, good quality of life and good academic achievement. The low number of highly physically active children living in the settlements is of concern.