Changes in physical activity patterns from adolescence to young adulthood: the BELINDA study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Human Physiology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is a key health indicator.
• The transition from adolescence to young adulthood involves significant lifestyle changes.
• Previous studies on PA changes often relied on subjective self-report measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively investigate changes in physical activity patterns during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood.
• To explore differences in these changes based on sex, weight, and maternal education level.

Main Methods:

• Utilized accelerometer data from European adolescents (HELENA study) followed up 10 years later.
• Included 141 adults with valid PA data in both adolescence and adulthood.
• Analyzed changes in sedentary time, light (LPA), moderate (MPA), and vigorous PA (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) by sex, weight, and maternal education.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in sedentary time (+39.1 min/day), LPA (+59.6 min/day), and MPA (+6.6 min/day) were observed.
• Vigorous PA (VPA) significantly decreased (-11.3 min/day).
• Males showed a greater decrease in VPA and MVPA compared to females. MVPA decreased on weekdays but increased on weekends.
• No significant heterogeneity in PA changes was linked to maternal education or weight.

Conclusions:

• The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is a critical period for establishing physical activity habits.
• Objective data reveal a concerning trend of increased sedentary behavior and reduced vigorous physical activity.
• These shifts in lifestyle physical activity may elevate the risk of adverse health consequences later in life.