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Changes in physical activity upon entry to elementary school
Author(s) -
Jauregui Alejandra,
Hernández Salvador Villalpando,
Baltazar Eduardo Rangel,
Hernández Jessica Castro,
Zamudio Yaveth Adriana Lara
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.lb261
Subject(s) - physical activity , medicine , anthropometry , demography , obesity , longitudinal study , pediatrics , physical therapy , pathology , sociology
Objective To compare the physical activity performed in the last year of kindergarten and the first grade elementary school in a cohort of Mexican children. Methods Physical activity (7 d triaxial accelerometry) and anthropometry data of 257 prescholers (111 boys & 146 girls) from Cuernavaca, Morelos were measured in the last year of kindergarten and first grade of elementary school. Daily activity counts, and time spent in inactivity, sendentary, light and moderate/vigorous activity were calculated. For weekdays, counts/hr during school time and leisure time were calculated. Longitudinal analyses were performed using multilevel generalized linear models controlling by potential confusing factors. Results Daily activity counts were 8.2% lower (p<0.001) in elementary school than in kindergarten. Sedentary activity increased 32 min/d (15.8–48.2) and moderate/vigorous activity decreased 21.3 min/d (8.6–34.0) in elementary school compared to preschool. On weekdays, PA decrease occurred during school time (Kindergarten: 7.8 counts/hr IC95% 7.5, 8.1; Elementary school: 5.8 counts/hr IC95% 5.5, 6.1) but not during leisure time (Kindergarten: 5.6 counts/hr IC95% 5.3, 5.9; Elementary school: 5.3 counts/hr IC95% 5.0, 5.6). When stratifying by baseline BMI category, changes were only observed in children with normal BMI. Conclusion The results of this study show a decrease in PA upon entry to elementary school. This might explain the sudden increase of obesity prevalence in school age children.