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Physical activity cut-offs and risk factors for preventing child obesity in Japan

Kazuo Minematsu1, Ryosuke Kawabuchi, Hiromi Okazaki

  • 1Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.

Pediatrics International : Official Journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
|July 22, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Japanese children need 11,000 steps and 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise daily to prevent obesity. Excessive TV time is a significant risk factor for childhood obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Sports Science

Background:

  • Lack of official physical activity guidelines for preventing child obesity in Japan.
  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern globally and in Japan.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish physical activity level and step count recommendations for preventing child obesity in Japanese children.
  • To identify daily lifestyle risk factors associated with child obesity in Japan.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 302 Japanese children (aged 9-12) and measured body composition and physical fitness.
  • Utilized 3-D speed sensors to track daily steps, energy expenditure, and metabolic equivalents (METs).
  • Employed receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression to determine cut-offs and risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Obese children had significantly higher body volume, weight, BMI, fat mass, and body fat percentage, with lower physical fitness.
  • Recommended cut-offs: at least 11,000 steps/day and 40 minutes of 4 METs (moderate-to-vigorous) exercise.
  • Over 2 hours of daily TV viewing was a significant risk factor (OR, 3.43).

Conclusions:

  • Established evidence-based physical activity and step count recommendations for Japanese children.
  • Identified excessive screen time as a key modifiable risk factor for childhood obesity.
  • Provided recommendations for lifestyle modifications to combat child obesity in Japan.
Abstract

Keywords:
Japanchild obesitymetabolic equivalentschool-aged childrenstep

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