Self-reported physical activity in European adolescents: results from the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 246 - 254
• Main Authors: De Cocker, Katrien, Ottevaere, Charlene, Sjöström, Michael, Moreno, Luis A, Wärnberg, Julia, Valtueña, Jara, Manios, Yannis, Dietrich, Sabine, Mauro, Beatrice, Artero, Enrique G, Molnár, Dénes, Hagströmer, Maria, Ruiz, Jonathan R, Sarri, Katerina, Kafatos, Anthony, Gottrand, Frédéric, De Henauw, Stefaan, Maes, Lea, De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2011; CABI Pub. on behalf of the Nutrition Society
• Subjects: adolescence; Adolescent; adolescent nutrition; Adolescents; Age; Age Distribution; Body Mass Index; boys; Child development; Cities; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cross-Sectional Studies; Europe; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Gender; girls; Health Behavior; Health care; Humans; Leisure Activities; Life Style; lifestyle; Lifestyles; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Monitoring and surveillance; Nutrition; Participation; Public health; Questionnaires; Sample size; Self Disclosure; Self report; Sex Distribution; Socioeconomic Factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; walking; Europe; United States > US; Adolescence; Socio-economic status; Family affluence; Questionnaire; Gender; Age; BMI
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980010000558

Objective: To describe self-reported physical activity (PA) patterns in the various domains (school, home, transport, leisure time) and intensity categories (walking, moderate PA, vigorous PA) in European adolescents. Furthermore, self-reported PA patterns were evaluated in relation to gender, age category, weight status category and socio-economic status (SES). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Ten European cities. Subjects: In total, 3051 adolescents (47·6 % boys, mean age 14·8 (sd 1·2) years) completed an adolescent-adapted version of the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The total sample reported most PA during leisure time (485 min/week) and least PA at home (140 min/week). Boys reported significantly more school-based PA (P < 0·001), leisure-time PA (P = 0·003), vigorous PA (P < 0·001) and total PA (P = 0·002) than girls, while girls reported more home-based PA (P < 0·001) and walking (P = 0·002) than boys. Self-reported PA at school (P < 0·001), moderate PA (P < 0·001), vigorous PA (P < 0·001) and total PA (P < 0·001) were significantly higher in younger age groups than in older groups. Groups based on weight status differed significantly only in leisure-time PA (P = 0·004) and total PA (P = 0·003), while groups based on SES differed in all PA domains and intensities except transport-related PA and total PA. Conclusions: The total sample of adolescents reported different scores for the different PA domains and intensity categories. Furthermore, patterns were different according the adolescents’ gender, age, weight status and SES.