Differences in daily physical activity levels of obese children engaged in an exercise program | Níveis de actividade física habitual em crianças obesas sujeitas a um programa de exercício

• Type: Article in National Scientific Journal
• Date: 2004

Authors

aires, l (Author) Other; santos, p (Author) Other; ribeiro, jc (Author) FADEUP; rego, c (Author) Other; mota, j (Author) FADEUP

Journal

Title: Nascer e Crescer

Vol. 13

Pages: 331-336

ISSN: 0872-0754

Publisher: Korean Society of Pharmacognosy

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-007-CJX

Abstract (EN): The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in levels of physical activity in obese children participating in a physical activity (PA) program (ACORDA project). The sample comprised 35 obese children and adolescents (18 boys and 17 girls) aged 6-14 years (X=10,91 ± 2,0 years-old; weight=55,98 ± 12,45 Kg; height=1,48 ± 0,12m; BMI=24,7 9± 3,95kg.m -1) recruited from a hospital trial. The accelerometer MTI Actigraph was used as an objective measure of daily physical activity over? consecutive days. The results showed that participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was higher (p<0.05) during weekday with PA program compared to no PA program weekdays or weekend. Further it was observed that the activity patterns were similar in those periods, with a peak during the 17h-19h period (activity time). The results of this study suggested that a physical activity program can help increasing daily physical activity in obese children, with a special focus on MVPA level. Obese children are less active at weekend but they still have a similar physical activity pattern compared to no-program activity weekdays. These results highlight the importance of organized physical activity to improve daily physical activity in obese children.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific