Dataset Information

Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The purpose was to: 1) perform a systematic review of studies examining the relation between physical activity, fitness, and health in school-aged children and youth, and 2) make recommendations based on the findings.

Methods

The systematic review was limited to 7 health indicators: high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, the metabolic syndrome, obesity, low bone density, depression, and injuries. Literature searches were conducted using predefined keywords in 6 key databases. A total of 11,088 potential papers were identified. The abstracts and full-text articles of potentially relevant papers were screened to determine eligibility. Data was abstracted for 113 outcomes from the 86 eligible papers. The evidence was graded for each health outcome using established criteria based on the quantity and quality of studies and strength of effect. The volume, intensity, and type of physical activity were considered.

Results

Physical activity was associated with numerous health benefits. The dose-response relations observed in observational studies indicate that the more physical activity, the greater the health benefit. Results from experimental studies indicate that even modest amounts of physical activity can have health benefits in high-risk youngsters (e.g., obese). To achieve substantive health benefits, the physical activity should be of at least a moderate intensity. Vigorous intensity activities may provide even greater benefit. Aerobic-based activities had the greatest health benefit, other than for bone health, in which case high-impact weight bearing activities were required.

Conclusion

The following recommendations were made: 1) Children and youth 5-17 years of age should accumulate an average of at least 60 minutes per day and up to several hours of at least moderate intensity physical activity. Some of the health benefits can be achieved through an average of 30 minutes per day. [Level 2, Grade A]. 2) More vigorous intensity activities should be incorporated or added when possible, including activities that strengthen muscle and bone [Level 3, Grade B]. 3) Aerobic activities should make up the majority of the physical activity. Muscle and bone strengthening activities should be incorporated on at least 3 days of the week [Level 2, Grade A].

SUBMITTER: Janssen I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2885312 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth.

Janssen Ian I Leblanc Allana G AG

The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity 20100511

<h4>Background</h4>The purpose was to: 1) perform a systematic review of studies examining the relation between physical activity, fitness, and health in school-aged children and youth, and 2) make recommendations based on the findings.<h4>Methods</h4>The systematic review was limited to 7 health indicators: high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, the metabolic syndrome, obesity, low bone density, depression, and injuries. Literature searches were conducted using predefined keywords in 6 ke ...[more]

PMID: 20459784

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Project description:PurposeThis study was to present the 2016 prevalence estimates of Chinese school-aged children meeting physical fitness standards and to examine differences by sex and residence locales in children who did not meet fitness standards.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional analyses of 171,991 children and adolescents (boy: 50.0%, Grades 1-12) who participated in the 2016 Physical Activity and Fitness in China-The Youth Study. The main outcomes were fitness measures, assessed by the 2014 revised Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard (CNSPFS), covering areas of aerobic capacity, upper body strength, flexibility, body mass index, abdominal strength, and trunk strength. Children's overall physical fitness performance was categorized, per CNSPFS standards, as excellent, good, pass, or no pass. Data on the prevalence of physical fitness categories and not meeting fitness standards (i.e., among children who received a "no pass" mark) were analyzed, through logistic regression, by sex (boy, girl) and residence locales (urban, rural) across 3 school grades (primary, junior middle, and junior high).ResultsIn 2016, 5.95% of Chinese children and adolescents achieved an "excellent" mark, 25.80% received a "good" rating, 59.90% received a "pass", and 8.35% received a "no pass". Overall, boys were more likely to not pass the fitness standards compared with girls (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.710; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.708-1.712) and children living in urban areas were more likely to not pass the standards than those living in rural areas (aOR = 1.298; 95%CI: 1.296-1.299). Consistent patterns of not meeting fitness standards were also found by sex and residence locales across all 3 school grades.ConclusionIn the Chinese school-aged population, about 3 in 10 children achieved an "excellent" or "good" fitness standard in 2016, and about 8% of this population did not meet CNSPFS standards. Children living in urban areas were more likely to not meet minimum fitness performance levels, and boys in school were more likely to not meet minimum fitness performance levels than girls.

Project description:Accumulating evidence suggests that, independent of physical activity levels, sedentary behaviours are associated with increased risk of cardio-metabolic disease, all-cause mortality, and a variety of physiological and psychological problems. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to determine the relationship between sedentary behaviour and health indicators in school-aged children and youth aged 5-17 years. Online databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO), personal libraries and government documents were searched for relevant studies examining time spent engaging in sedentary behaviours and six specific health indicators (body composition, fitness, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, self-esteem, pro-social behaviour and academic achievement). 232 studies including 983,840 participants met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Television (TV) watching was the most common measure of sedentary behaviour and body composition was the most common outcome measure. Qualitative analysis of all studies revealed a dose-response relation between increased sedentary behaviour and unfavourable health outcomes. Watching TV for more than 2 hours per day was associated with unfavourable body composition, decreased fitness, lowered scores for self-esteem and pro-social behaviour and decreased academic achievement. Meta-analysis was completed for randomized controlled studies that aimed to reduce sedentary time and reported change in body mass index (BMI) as their primary outcome. In this regard, a meta-analysis revealed an overall significant effect of -0.81 (95% CI of -1.44 to -0.17, p = 0.01) indicating an overall decrease in mean BMI associated with the interventions. There is a large body of evidence from all study designs which suggests that decreasing any type of sedentary time is associated with lower health risk in youth aged 5-17 years. In particular, the evidence suggests that daily TV viewing in excess of 2 hours is associated with reduced physical and psychosocial health, and that lowering sedentary time leads to reductions in BMI.

Project description:Background:Good nutrition and physical activity of school-aged children are important for ensuring optimum growth and reducing obesity. This present study assessed associations between breakfast consumption, BMI-for-Age (BMI) and physical fitness in a cross-section of school-aged children attending government-owned primary schools in Kumasi, Ghana. Method:The sample consisted of 438 pupils (boys?=?213; girls?=?225; mean age 11.1?±?1.1), attending 10 randomly selected schools. Weight (kg), height (cm) and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) were measured for each participant, and BMI-for-age z-scores determined using the World Health Organisation (WHO) anthroplus software. Participants were stratified into thinness, normal weight, overweight/obese using WHO cut offs. Physical fitness was assessed using forward jump, left and right handgrips, flexibility, sit-ups and 50?metre run following standard procedures and converted to scores of 1 to 10 following Japanese standards, based on which percentiles were derived. Total fitness score for each pupil was computed by adding all scores. A questionnaire was used to assess meal intake patterns. Results:The mean BMI-for-age z-score for participants was -?0.24?±?0.99. Thinness, normal weight and overweight/obesity were 2.7, 86.5, and 10.5% respectively among the pupils. Overweight was higher in girls (14.2%) compared to boys (4.2%), p?=?0.003. Similarly, mean MUAC was significantly (p?=?0.021) higher in the girls (22.0 ± 3.2?cm) than the boys (20.7 ± 7.3?cm). For physical fitness, the girls scored higher in forward jump (p?<?0.0001), 50-m run (p?=?0.002) and overall fitness score than the boys (21.0?±?6.2 versus 19.2?±?8.3, p?=?0.012). However, a larger proportion of boys performed excellently and poorly than girls (p?=?0.019). A positive correlation was observed between BMI z-score and hand grip (r =?0.21, p?<?0.001), while sit up (r =?-?0.11, p?=?0.018) showed a negative correlation with BMI z-score. No other fitness test varied by BMI. Overweight children performed best in handgrip. Majority of children said they engaged in exercise (89.9%) and consumed breakfast (78.9%). Breakfast consumption was not associated with BMI z-score (x2 0.0359, p?=?0.549) but non-breakfast consumers performed better in 50?m run compared to consumers (7.0 seconds?±?2.3 vrs 6.3 seconds?±?2.5, p?=?0.022). Children who reported to exercise were physically fitter than those who did not. Conclusion:Underweight levels were low while overweight was over 10% in these children. Girls were more than 3 times affected by overweight than boys, and were also physically fitter than boys. Breakfast consumption was not related to weight or fitness.

Dataset Information

Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth.

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