Device-based physical activity levels among Finnish adolescents with functional limitations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Monitoring physical activity in adolescents with disabilities is a key research area.
• Functional limitations serve as a novel marker for understanding disabilities and their impact on physical activity.
• Adolescents with disabilities represent a diverse population with varied functional abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate physical activity levels in young adolescents with and without functional limitations.
• To compare light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) between these groups.
• To explore differences in physical activity based on specific functional limitations.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 1436 adolescents aged 11-15 from the 2016 Finnish School-aged Physical Activity (FSPA) study.
• Physical activity was measured using hip-worn accelerometers over seven consecutive days.
• Data were analyzed using general linear regression models, disaggregated by functional limitations (e.g., seeing, hearing, moving).

Main Results:

• Approximately one in six adolescents reported functional limitations.
• Adolescents with functional limitations had significantly less LPA (7 min/day) and MVPA (8 min/day) compared to their peers.
• After adjusting for covariates, differences in LPA remained significant, while MVPA differences were no longer statistically significant, with variations noted across different functional limitations.

Conclusions:

• Significant variations in physical activity exist based on functional limitations and intensity.
• Understanding functional limitations is crucial for developing targeted physical activity promotion strategies for adolescents with disabilities.
• Personalized approaches are necessary to improve physical activity behaviors in this population.