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Domain-Specific Self-Reported and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Children
Ole Sprengeler1, Norman Wirsik2, Antje Hebestreit3
1Department of Epidemiological Methods and Etiologic Research, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Achterstraße 30, 28359 Bremen, Germany. sprengel@leibniz-bips.de.
Summary
School hours are key for children's sedentary time and physical activity, but questionnaires often underestimate this. Objective measurements are essential for accurate activity pattern assessment in youth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Sports Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Understanding the contribution of different life domains to children's physical activity (PA) is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Sedentary behavior (SED), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels in children are influenced by various daily contexts.
- Limited research exists on how specific domains, such as school hours and leisure time, contribute to overall PA patterns in youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify domain-specific physical activity patterns in school-aged children.
- To compare self-reported and objectively measured PA across different domains.
- To determine the agreement between questionnaire and accelerometry data for SED, LPA, and MVPA in various activity settings.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 298 German children and adolescents aged 6-17 years.
- Objective PA assessment using accelerometry for one week.
- Subjective PA assessment via a PA recall questionnaire for the same period.
- Statistical analysis using Spearman coefficients to evaluate agreement between self-reported and objectively measured PA across five domains: transport, school hours, physical education, leisure-time, and organized sports activities.
Main Results:
- School hours were the primary contributor to objectively measured total SED (55%), LPA (53%), and MVPA (46%).
- Organized sports activities accounted for 24% of total MVPA.
- Self-reported LPA and MVPA during school hours were significantly underestimated compared to accelerometry, while leisure-time activity was overestimated.
- Agreement between self-reported and objective measures was low for total LPA and MVPA, moderate for total SED, LPA during transport, and MVPA during organized sports.
Conclusions:
- School hours are a dominant domain for children's overall physical activity and sedentary behavior.
- Self-report questionnaires significantly underestimate PA during school hours, highlighting a critical limitation in traditional assessment methods.
- Objective measurement tools, such as accelerometers, are indispensable for accurately characterizing the complete physical activity patterns of school-aged children.
