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Children's physical activity and psychological health: the relevance of intensity
Author(s) -
Parfitt Gaynor,
Pavey Toby,
Rowlands Ann V
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01255.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , medicine , physical activity , intensity (physics) , depression (economics) , light intensity , clinical psychology , demography , physical therapy , psychiatry , sociology , optics , economics , macroeconomics , physics , quantum mechanics
Aim: To examine the relevance of physical activity intensity when assessing the relationship between activity and psychological health in 9–10‐year‐old children. Methods: Activity was assessed by accelerometry in 57 boys (n = 23) and girls (n = 34). Total activity and time spent in very light (≤1.9 METs) through to vigorous activity (≥6 METs) were recorded. Psychological health inventories to assess anxiety, depression and aspects of self‐worth were completed. Results: Time accumulated in very light activity had positive correlations with anxiety and depression (r > 0.30, p < 0.05) and negative correlations with aspects of physical self‐worth (r > −0.29, p < 0.05). Time accumulated in vigorous activity had negative correlations with anxiety and behavioural conduct (r > −0.30, p < 0.05) and positive correlation with aspects of physical self‐worth (r > 0.28, p < 0.05). Children spending over 4 h in very light intensity activity had more negative psychological profiles than children spending under 4 h at this intensity. Conclusion: Aspects of psychological health were negatively correlated with very light intensity activity and positively correlated with vigorous intensity activity. Further research should investigate whether reducing time spent in very light intensity activity and increasing time spent in vigorous intensity activity improves psychological health in children.