Results From Belgium’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Abstract

Background:This 2016 Belgium Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the first systematic evaluation of physical activity (PA) behaviors, related health behaviors, health outcomes, and influences thereon, using the Active Healthy Kids Canada grading framework.Methods:A research working group consisting of PA experts from both Flanders and Wallonia collaborated to determine the indicators to be graded, data sources to be used, and factors to be taken into account during the grading process. Grades were finalized after consensus was reached among the research working group and 2 stakeholder groups consisting of academic and policy experts in the fields of PA, sedentary behavior, and dietary behavior.Results:Eleven indicators were selected and assigned the following grades: Overall PA (F+), Organized Sport Participation (C-), Active Play (C+), Active Transportation (C-), Sedentary Behaviors (D-), School (B-), Government Strategies and Investment (C+), and Weight Status (D). Incomplete grades were assigned to Family and Peers, Community and the Built Environment, and Dietary Behaviors due to a lack of nationally representative data.Conclusions:Despite moderately positive social and environmental influences, PA levels of Belgian children and youth are low while levels of sedentary behaviors are high.

Indicators of Physical Activity Among Children and Youth in 9 Countries With Low to Medium Human Development Indices: A Global Matrix 3.0 Paper

“…in physical activity, 51 the lack of resources, political will, 52 as well as competing priorities, are a reality that cannot be easily addressed in most countries with low-to-medium HDIs. Moreover, having strong and supportive settings and sources of influence does not guarantee increased physical activity participation, as demonstrated by results from the Global Matrix 2.0, 23 which showed lower levels of overall physical activity among children and youth from countries such as Belgium, 53 Sweden, 54 and Denmark, 55 which have very supportive infrastructure.…”

Estimation of indices related to physical activity in Ukraine, Poland, and member countries of active healthy kids global alliance

“…In general, in library sources, there are no clear international recommendations for the involvement level of children of all ages in active play [21]. However, playing games is recognized as an important component of the physical activity of children and adolescents in many countries [12,29].…”

“…In belgium, most children are involved in active play at weekends, and spring and summer are the most favourable seasons for children to play active games [21].…”

“…It consisted of 6 countries, with the level of children's involvement in the specified physical activity segment in the range of 41-60%. the highest grade for the active play indicator in this group of countries was given to belgium and Spain (table 2) [14,21].…”

Opinions towards physical activity interventions using Facebook or text messaging: Focus group interviews with vocational school‐aged adolescents

“…Despite these risks and the beneficial effects of sufficient PA (i.e., health benefits, social well‐being) (Andersen et al, ; Cooper et al, ; Flynn, ; Janssen & Leblanc, ; Janssen et al, ), a large proportion of school‐aged youth does not reach the PA guidelines of daily 60 min of moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity PA (MVPA) (Fedewa & Ahn, ). In the past years, PA levels have been declining among youth (Ekelund, Tomkinson, & Armstrong, ; Strong et al, ; Wijtzes et al, ) and specifically decrease when children enter adolescence (Riddoch et al, ; Trost et al, ; Van Mechelen, Twisk, Post, Snel, & Kemper, ).…”