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Pedometer step count and BMI of Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years
Sarahjane Belton1, Philip Brady, Sarah Meegan
1School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Ireland. Sarahjane.belton@dcu.ie
Insights
Most Irish children meet daily step count recommendations, with higher activity on weekends and after school. However, meeting these physical activity guidelines doesn't guarantee a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI).
Area of Science:
- Pediatric health
- Exercise science
- Public health
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern globally.
- Understanding physical activity patterns in children is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Assessing Body Mass Index (BMI) and step counts provides insights into children's health status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate step count and BMI in Irish children aged 6-9 years.
- To analyze variations in physical activity between weekdays/weekends and during/after school.
- To determine if pedometer-based physical activity (PA) recommendations predict healthy BMI in children.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 301 Irish primary school children (aged 6-9 years).
- Participants wore pedometers for seven consecutive days in 2008.
- Height, weight, and physical activity levels were measured and recorded.
Main Results:
- The majority of children had a normal BMI and met recommended daily step counts.
- Significantly higher step counts were observed on weekends compared to weekdays.
- Children were more active after school than during school hours.
- BMI classification (normal vs. overweight/obese) did not predict adherence to pedometer recommendations.
Conclusions:
- Most Irish children achieve sufficient daily steps for health.
- Targeted interventions may be needed for children not meeting step goals.
- Further research is required to clarify the link between daily step count and BMI in children.
Objective:
(1) To assess step count and Body Mass Index in Irish children, (2) to examine variation in (i) weekday and weekend activity, (ii) during-school and after-school activity, and (3) to evaluate the utility of pedometer based PA recommendations for health in predicting Body Mass Index.
Methods:
Three hundred and one Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years wore a sealed pedometer for seven consecutive days in 2008, had their height and weight measured, and completed a short Physical Activity questionnaire.
Results:
The majority of children were classed as of normal weight, and met the age and sex specific pedometer recommendations for health. Children took significantly more steps at weekends than on weekdays, and after school than during school. A child being classed as normal or overweight/obese based on Body Mass Index did not predict the likelihood of them meeting the pedometer recommendations.
Conclusions:
The majority of children were achieving sufficient steps/day for health but interventions to target those falling short should be considered. Further research examining the relationship between steps per day and Body Mass Index is warranted.
