Physical activity measured by accelerometry among adolescents participating in sports clubs and non‐participating peers

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study is to describe the amount and intensity of physical activity (PA) measured by accelerometry among adolescents participating in organized sports (SCP) and age-matched non-participating peers (NP). SCPs (332) and NPs (139) wore an accelerometer on the hip for seven days. PA was reported using the 1-min exponential moving average. The current moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendation of at least an average of 60 min of MVPA daily was reached by 85% of SCPs and 45% of NPs (p < .001).During training days, the MVPA times among SCPs ranged from 153 ± 39 min in males and 109 ± 35 min in females participating in basketball to 113 ± 33 min in males participating in floorball and 83 ± 32 min in females participating in gymnastics. Sports participation contributes rather strongly to the accumulation of the recommended amount of MVPA. During training days, SCPs, except for females participating in gymnastics, accumulated more MVPA than NPs. During non-training days, only males participating in cross-country skiing and females participating in track and field accumulated more MVPA than NPs. HIGHLIGHTS. PA of Finnish adolescents participating in nine different organized sports and age-matched non-participating peers was measured by accelerometry for one week and the results are reported using the 1-min exponential moving average. . Adolescents participating in many organized sports accumulated more PA than nonparticipants; this was observed in meeting the PA recommendations, total amount of PA at different intensities, and step count. . The current PA recommendation of at least an average of 60 min of MVPA per day was reached by 85% of SCPs and 45% of non-participating peers. Vigorous physical activity at least three times per week was incorporated by 96% of SCPs and 81% of NPs. . During training days, males participating in soccer, basketball, and cross-country skiing spent more time in MVPA than females participating in the same sports. During non-training days, the time spent in MVPA was similar between males and females participating in sports clubs.

Longitudinal physical activity patterns and the development of cardiometabolic risk factors during adolescence

“…While accelerometry is the state‐of‐the‐art method to assess PA via a device, 42 one should bear in mind the related challenges; for example, the 7‐day measurement period might not be representative of the habitual behavior of every participant. Moreover, use of the device tends to underestimate the vigorous PA occurring in certain types of PA, such as skating and weight training (see also Ref 21 …”

“…At baseline, the participants (mean age 15 years) were recruited from sports clubs and schools in six large cities and surrounding communities, in different parts of Finland (Figure 1). The sports clubs represented the 10 most popular team and individual sports disciplines: basketball, floorball, ice hockey, soccer, cross‐country skiing, gymnastics, orienteering, skating, swimming, and track and field (for more details of the study protocol see Ref 20,21 …”

“…Moreover, use of the device tends to underestimate the vigorous PA occurring in certain types of PA, such as skating and weight training (see also Ref. 21 )-even though moderate and vigorous PA were combined in our analyses.…”

“…The sports clubs represented the 10 most popular team and individual sports disciplines: basketball, floorball, ice hockey, soccer, crosscountry skiing, gymnastics, orienteering, skating, swimming, and track and field (for more details of the study protocol see Ref. 20,21 ).…”

A 10-week play-based after-school program to improve coordinative abilities and physical fitness capabilities among adolescents: a randomized trial

“…To clarify, reducing the “minimum thresholds” (or at the very least, the percentage of young individuals capable of meeting these thresholds) for physical capabilities and motor skill performance would curtail the potential of future athletes in terms of both quantity and quality. Therefore, numerous studies have consistently demonstrated a substantial connection between sports participation and increased PA 7 , motor competence 8 , 9 , and overall fitness levels 10 , 11 .…”