Page 30 - Petelin Ana. Ur. 2022. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of children and adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 30
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 30 per day in physical inactivity (sedentariness) during the week days and
at the weekend, but the analysis did not show statistical significance (p =
0.07). Discussion and conclusions: The results of the present study show
that the participants achieved daily recommendations for the amount
and intensity of PA. In addition, sample of gymnasts tended to spend
more than 9 hours sedentary, both during the week and at weekends. PA,
especially gymnastics can help increase the recommended daily amount
of PA and thus might reduce the consequences of a sedentarism.
Keywords: accelerometer ActiGraph GT3X+, children and adolescents,
sedentarism
Introduction
Nowadays, children and adolescents are increasingly inactive due to modern
lifestyle, that forces them to spend most of the day sedentary. At every turn,
they use various technologies instead being physically active in their everyday,
such as school time, homework and, unfortunately, leisure time. Physical activ-
ity (PA) has many health benefits for children and adolescents and can contrib-
ute to adequate body mass, increase bone density, prevent chronic non-com-
municable diseases and improve cognitive skills (Cooper et al., 2015; Duncan et
al., 2018; Pfitzner et al., 2013).
WHO guidelines on PA and sedentary behavior (2020) suggest for chil-
dren and adolescents (age 5–17 years) to be at least an average of 60 minutes per
day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity (MVPA), mostly aerobic physical ac-
tivity. Therefore, PA for children in adolescents should include at least 3 days a
week as well as activities that strengthen muscles and bones. In addition, WHO
recommends limiting the amount of time spent sedentary, especially in front
of screens (e.g. TV, computers, video games etc.). Several studies have report-
ed that most children and adolescents are not sufficiently active and that activ-
ity levels decrease with age in childhood (Chung et al., 2012; Cooper et al., 2015;
Guthold et al., 2010; Nader et al., 2008). A study that examined PA of European
children aged 2–11 years concluded that only 2–15 % of girls achieved the min-
imum MVPA recommendation (Konstabel et al., 2014a). Similarly, a study by
Hallal et al. (2012) and Guthold et al. (2010), conducted on a sample of 13 to 15
year old youth, found that only 20 % (boys and girls) and 15.4 % (girls), respec-
tively, met the 60-minute MVPA recommendation. Some studies that found
that more than 95 % of 9-year-old and 82 % and 65 % of 15-year-old adoles-
cents were sufficiently active, respectively, due to the use of age-specific inten-
sity thresholds (Guthold et al., 2010).
Assessing PA of children and adolescents is key for monitoring their
health status as well as to determining the effectiveness of exercise interven-
tions (Duncan et al., 2020; Duncan et al., 2018). Within the last decades, re-
searchers have begun to use different methods to assess adequate daily PA. As a
results, accelerometry has become one of the most objective methods for mea-
suring PA in children and adolescents (Borghese et al., 2017; Duncan et al.,
at the weekend, but the analysis did not show statistical significance (p =
0.07). Discussion and conclusions: The results of the present study show
that the participants achieved daily recommendations for the amount
and intensity of PA. In addition, sample of gymnasts tended to spend
more than 9 hours sedentary, both during the week and at weekends. PA,
especially gymnastics can help increase the recommended daily amount
of PA and thus might reduce the consequences of a sedentarism.
Keywords: accelerometer ActiGraph GT3X+, children and adolescents,
sedentarism
Introduction
Nowadays, children and adolescents are increasingly inactive due to modern
lifestyle, that forces them to spend most of the day sedentary. At every turn,
they use various technologies instead being physically active in their everyday,
such as school time, homework and, unfortunately, leisure time. Physical activ-
ity (PA) has many health benefits for children and adolescents and can contrib-
ute to adequate body mass, increase bone density, prevent chronic non-com-
municable diseases and improve cognitive skills (Cooper et al., 2015; Duncan et
al., 2018; Pfitzner et al., 2013).
WHO guidelines on PA and sedentary behavior (2020) suggest for chil-
dren and adolescents (age 5–17 years) to be at least an average of 60 minutes per
day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity (MVPA), mostly aerobic physical ac-
tivity. Therefore, PA for children in adolescents should include at least 3 days a
week as well as activities that strengthen muscles and bones. In addition, WHO
recommends limiting the amount of time spent sedentary, especially in front
of screens (e.g. TV, computers, video games etc.). Several studies have report-
ed that most children and adolescents are not sufficiently active and that activ-
ity levels decrease with age in childhood (Chung et al., 2012; Cooper et al., 2015;
Guthold et al., 2010; Nader et al., 2008). A study that examined PA of European
children aged 2–11 years concluded that only 2–15 % of girls achieved the min-
imum MVPA recommendation (Konstabel et al., 2014a). Similarly, a study by
Hallal et al. (2012) and Guthold et al. (2010), conducted on a sample of 13 to 15
year old youth, found that only 20 % (boys and girls) and 15.4 % (girls), respec-
tively, met the 60-minute MVPA recommendation. Some studies that found
that more than 95 % of 9-year-old and 82 % and 65 % of 15-year-old adoles-
cents were sufficiently active, respectively, due to the use of age-specific inten-
sity thresholds (Guthold et al., 2010).
Assessing PA of children and adolescents is key for monitoring their
health status as well as to determining the effectiveness of exercise interven-
tions (Duncan et al., 2020; Duncan et al., 2018). Within the last decades, re-
searchers have begun to use different methods to assess adequate daily PA. As a
results, accelerometry has become one of the most objective methods for mea-
suring PA in children and adolescents (Borghese et al., 2017; Duncan et al.,
