Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Norwegian Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Cross-Sectional Study

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all children, including those with disabilities, should be physically active for optimal health benefits. The primary aim of this study was to quantify and describe overall physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behavior in Norwegian boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), in comparison with healthy controls.

Boys aged 5-18 years with DMD were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured with use of an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Data on PA were obtained via self-report questionnaires. Comparisons were drawn between ambulatory and non-ambulatory boys with DMD, and between ambulatory boys with DMD and healthy controls, with data retrieved from a database.

Twenty-eight boys with DMD participated, with a mean age of 12.6 (standard deviation 3.6) years, of whom 24 had accelerometry data. Ambulatory boys had higher PA levels compared with non-ambulatory boys (p = 0.008), and 53% of ambulatory boys met the WHO's recommendation for daily MVPA, whereas none of their non-ambulatory counterparts did. Boys with DMD were less physically active compared with healthy peers. Sedentary time was higher over weekends compared with weekdays, and increased with age both in the DMD group and in healthy controls.

Further research is needed to improve participation in PA by exploring barriers and facilitators, with a particular focus on non-ambulatory boys with DMD.