Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Physical Activity in 6.5-Year-Old Children Born Extremely Preterm
Jenny Svedenkrans1,2, Örjan Ekblom3, Magnus Domellöf4
1Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Pediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Boys born extremely preterm engage in less moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than their peers. Neonatal brain injury further reduces physical activity in these children, potentially impacting adult cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Developmental Science
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is crucial for preventing cardiovascular diseases.
- Children born preterm may face motor impairments affecting their PA levels compared to term-born children.
- Understanding PA differences in preterm populations is vital for long-term health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare objectively measured PA in extremely preterm children versus term-born peers at 6.5 years of age.
- To investigate associations between PA and neonatal factors (prenatal growth, brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, septicemia) in extremely preterm children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study comparing 71 extremely preterm (<27 weeks GA) children with 87 term-born controls.
- Objective PA measurement using wrist accelerometers over 7 consecutive days.
- Statistical analysis (ANOVA) to compare PA levels and assess associations with neonatal outcomes.
Main Results:
- Extremely preterm boys spent 22 minutes less per day in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to control boys; no significant difference was observed in girls.
- Major neonatal brain injury in extremely preterm children was associated with a reduction of 56 minutes per day in MVPA.
- Subgroups of extremely preterm children demonstrated lower PA levels.
Conclusions:
- Extremely preterm boys exhibit reduced daily MVPA compared to term-born boys.
- Neonatal brain injury significantly impacts MVPA in extremely preterm children.
- Lower physical activity levels in subgroups of extremely preterm children may contribute to future cardiovascular disease risk.
Abstract:
Physical activity (PA) can prevent cardiovascular diseases. Because of increased risks of impairments affecting motor activity, PA in children born preterm may differ from that in children born at term. In this prospective cohort study, we compared objectively measured PA in 71 children born extremely preterm (<27 weeks gestational age), to their 87 peers born at term, at 6.5 years of age. PA measured with accelerometer on the non-dominant wrist for 7 consecutive days was compared between index and control children and analyzed for associations to prenatal growth, major neonatal brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and neonatal septicemia, using ANOVA. Boys born extremely preterm spent on average 22 min less time per day in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than control boys (95% CI: -8, -37). There was no difference in girls. Amongst children born extremely preterm, major neonatal brain injury was associated with 56 min less time in MVPA per day (95%CI: -88, -26). Subgroups of children born extremely preterm exhibit lower levels of physical activity which may be a contributory factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases as adults.
