Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Objectively measured habitual physical activity and sedentary behaviour in obese and non-obese Malaysian children
Sharifah Wajihah Wafa1, Hana Hamzaid, Ruzita Abd Talib
1School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kota Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jalan Sultan Mahmud, 20400 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
Insights
Malaysian children, both obese and healthy weight, exhibit very low physical activity levels. Obese children spend more time sedentary and less time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared to healthy weight peers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Sports Science
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing global concern.
- Understanding physical activity patterns is crucial for obesity prevention and management.
- Objective measurement provides reliable data on activity levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively measure physical activity in Malaysian children.
- To compare physical activity levels between obese and healthy weight children.
- To identify differences in sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Main Methods:
- Matched case-control study design.
- Inclusion of 86 obese and 86 healthy weight children (median age 9.5 years).
- Objective measurement of habitual physical activity and sedentary behavior over 5 days using Actigraph accelerometers.
Main Results:
- Obese children spent significantly more time sedentary (90% vs. 86% of daytime).
- Healthy weight children engaged in significantly more moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (1.2% vs. 0.7% of daytime).
- Overall physical activity levels were low in both groups, but significantly lower in the obese group.
Conclusions:
- Malaysian children exhibit alarmingly low physical activity levels.
- Reducing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity are critical for combating childhood obesity.
- Interventions should target both obese and healthy weight children to promote healthier activity patterns.
Abstract:
The present study examined objectively measured physical activity in Malaysian children and compared the differences in physical levels between obese and healthy weight children. Eighty-six obese children were matched for age and sex with 86 healthy weight children with median age 9.5 years. Habitual physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured over 5 days using Actigraph accelerometers. Time spent sedentary was significantly higher in the obese group (90% vs. 86% of daytime; p = 0.001). Moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity was significantly higher in the healthy weight group (1.2 vs. 0.7% of daytime, p < 0.001). In both healthy weight and obese children, physical activity levels were exceptionally low, although moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity was significantly lower in the obese group than the healthy weight group. Efforts to prevent and treat obesity in Malaysian children will need a substantial focus on the promotion of reductions in sedentary behaviour and increases in physical activity.
