Time Trends of Step-Determined Physical Activity Among Adolescents With Different Activity Levels in Czech Republic

This study aimed to present step-determined physical activity trends in adolescents with different activity levels over a period of 10 years.

Pedometers were used to monitor weekly physical activity in 1855 boys and 2648 girls aged 15-19 years recruited from 155 schools in the Czech Republic between 2009 and 2018. Trends for average steps/day and percent of accumulating various levels of steps/day (<10,000, 10,000-13,000, and >13,000 steps/d) were analyzed by sex.

There was a statistically significant decrease in average steps/day between 2009-2010 and 2017-2018 in boys from 12,355 (3936) steps/d to 10,054 (3730) steps/d and girls from 11,501 (3278) steps/d to 10,216 (3288) steps/d. The percent accumulating <10,000 steps/d increased by 21% in boys and 12% in girls. The percent achieving >13,000 steps/d decreased by 17% in boys and 10% in girls.

Objectively collected evidence indicates an overall decrease in Czech adolescents' steps/day over a 10-year period concurrent with an increase in the percent of boys and girls accumulating <10,000 steps/d. These trends are concerning as they portend a decline in physical activity as adolescents transition to adulthood and continue to age, which also may have major health implications.