Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project

Background. Although physical inactivity may lead to increasing obesity prevalence, research on anthropometric variables changes based on physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents is limited. PA decreases with age, while sedentary behavior increases. The study aimed to examine differences...

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Main Authors: Necip Demirci, Ayda Karaca, Emine Çağlar, Pelin Aksen, Nigar Küçükkubaş, Mehmet Mesut Çelebi, Erdem Karabulut, Gıyasettin Demirhan, Sadettin Kirazcı, Elif Nursel Özmert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health 2024-11-01
Series:The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
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Online Access:https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/5300
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author Necip Demirci
Ayda Karaca
Emine Çağlar
Pelin Aksen
Nigar Küçükkubaş
Mehmet Mesut Çelebi
Erdem Karabulut
Gıyasettin Demirhan
Sadettin Kirazcı
Elif Nursel Özmert
author_facet Necip Demirci
Ayda Karaca
Emine Çağlar
Pelin Aksen
Nigar Küçükkubaş
Mehmet Mesut Çelebi
Erdem Karabulut
Gıyasettin Demirhan
Sadettin Kirazcı
Elif Nursel Özmert
author_sort Necip Demirci
collection DOAJ
description Background. Although physical inactivity may lead to increasing obesity prevalence, research on anthropometric variables changes based on physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents is limited. PA decreases with age, while sedentary behavior increases. The study aimed to examine differences in objectively measured sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) between children and adolescents, and the differences in the percentiles of anthropometric variables between physically active and inactive groups according to World Health Organization PA recommendations. Methods. A total of 759 participants aged 6-17 years (boys, n=358; girls, n=401) were included in the study. The ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer was used to measure sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA. Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (T-SFT), and medial-calf skinfold thickness (M-SFT) were measured. Body fat percentage (BF%) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated, and the percentiles of anthropometric variables were categorized. Results. The findings showed that children had less sedentary time and a higher LPA than adolescents for both genders (p<0.05). Children had a higher MVPA than adolescents in girls (p<0.05), but the difference was insignificant in boys (p>0.05). In boys, physically active children were in lower percentiles for T-SFT and BF% than those who did not (p<0.05). In boys, adolescents who were physically inactive were in higher percentiles for BMI, T-SFT, M-SFT, and BF% (p<0.05). In addition, in girls, adolescents who were physically active were in lower percentiles of BMI, M-SFT, and BF%, whereas children who were physically active were in lower percentiles of M-SFT and BF% (p<0.05). Conclusion. Sedentary time increases while PA decreases with age. Children and adolescents who met the WHO PA recommendation had lower percentiles of anthropometric variables, indicating the importance of PA in preventing obesity in these age groups.
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spelling doaj-art-30a6e89d97c64e5c829d48b755823eef2025-08-20T03:01:12ZengHacettepe University Institute of Child HealthThe Turkish Journal of Pediatrics0041-43012791-64212024-11-0166510.24953/turkjpediatr.2024.5300Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON projectNecip Demirci0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0147-8332Ayda Karaca1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3189-2385Emine Çağlar2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6771-8955Pelin Aksen3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4210-3548Nigar Küçükkubaş4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0886-8923Mehmet Mesut Çelebi5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0581-6837Erdem Karabulut6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7811-8215Gıyasettin Demirhan7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5370-2036Sadettin Kirazcı8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0708-2622Elif Nursel Özmert9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4911-9200Division of Physical Activity and Health, Department of Recreation, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDivision of Physical Activity and Health, Department of Recreation, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDivision of Physical Education and Sports for the Disabled, Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDivision of Movement and Training Sciences, Department of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, TürkiyeDepartment of Recreation, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Yalova University, Yalova, TürkiyeDepartment of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDivision of Physical Education and Sports, Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Education, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, TürkiyeDivision of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye Background. Although physical inactivity may lead to increasing obesity prevalence, research on anthropometric variables changes based on physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents is limited. PA decreases with age, while sedentary behavior increases. The study aimed to examine differences in objectively measured sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) between children and adolescents, and the differences in the percentiles of anthropometric variables between physically active and inactive groups according to World Health Organization PA recommendations. Methods. A total of 759 participants aged 6-17 years (boys, n=358; girls, n=401) were included in the study. The ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer was used to measure sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA. Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (T-SFT), and medial-calf skinfold thickness (M-SFT) were measured. Body fat percentage (BF%) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated, and the percentiles of anthropometric variables were categorized. Results. The findings showed that children had less sedentary time and a higher LPA than adolescents for both genders (p<0.05). Children had a higher MVPA than adolescents in girls (p<0.05), but the difference was insignificant in boys (p>0.05). In boys, physically active children were in lower percentiles for T-SFT and BF% than those who did not (p<0.05). In boys, adolescents who were physically inactive were in higher percentiles for BMI, T-SFT, M-SFT, and BF% (p<0.05). In addition, in girls, adolescents who were physically active were in lower percentiles of BMI, M-SFT, and BF%, whereas children who were physically active were in lower percentiles of M-SFT and BF% (p<0.05). Conclusion. Sedentary time increases while PA decreases with age. Children and adolescents who met the WHO PA recommendation had lower percentiles of anthropometric variables, indicating the importance of PA in preventing obesity in these age groups. https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/5300physical activitysedentary timeanthropometrychildrenadolescents
spellingShingle Necip Demirci
Ayda Karaca
Emine Çağlar
Pelin Aksen
Nigar Küçükkubaş
Mehmet Mesut Çelebi
Erdem Karabulut
Gıyasettin Demirhan
Sadettin Kirazcı
Elif Nursel Özmert
Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
physical activity
sedentary time
anthropometry
children
adolescents
title Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
title_full Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
title_fullStr Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
title_full_unstemmed Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
title_short Differences in physical activity, sedentary time, and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents: The TUBON project
title_sort differences in physical activity sedentary time and anthropometric variables among children and adolescents the tubon project
topic physical activity
sedentary time
anthropometry
children
adolescents
url https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/5300
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