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Interaction of physical activity and interoception in children
Eleana Georgiou1, Ellen Matthias1, Susanne Kobel2
1Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|May 15, 2015
Summary
Children with higher interoceptive sensitivity (IS) demonstrated better physical performance and engaged more in light physical activity. This suggests interoception plays a key role in regulating children's health behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Behavioral Science
- Physiology
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is linked to positive health outcomes, while inactivity increases risks for obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
- Interindividual differences in interoceptive sensitivity (IS) interact with PA in adults, but this relationship is unexplored in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between IS and PA in children during physical tasks and daily life.
- To explore if IS influences physical performance and everyday activity levels in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Assessed IS using a heartbeat perception task in 49 primary school children.
- Measured PA via a 6-min run in all children and a multi-sensor device in a subsample for 5 days.
Main Results:
- Higher IS in children correlated with better performance in a physical task.
- IS positively correlated with light PA levels (measured by energy expenditure) in the morning and afternoon.
Conclusions:
- Interoceptive sensitivity positively interacts with physical activity levels in children.
- Findings support the role of interoception in the self-regulation of health-related behaviors in pediatric populations.
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