Research Study Abstract

Relationship between school rhythm and physical activity in adolescents: the HELENA study

  • Published on 2017

The aim was to assess the relationship between school rhythm and physical activity (PA) in adolescents. The study included 2024 adolescents (12.5–17.4 years). Participants wore an accelerometer for 7 days. A short school rhythm was defined as a short time at school with short recesses and less time in teaching per day (Group 1). A long school rhythm was defined as a longer time at school with more time in teaching and recess (Group 2). Adolescents in Group 1 performed less moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) than those in Group 2 per week (P < .0001), especially during school days (recess: 3.9 ± 4.0 vs. 9.8 ± 7.9 min · day−1; P < .0001; teaching hours: 14.5 ± 9.8 vs. 19.1 ± 12.0 min · day−1; P < .0001). Adolescents in Group 1 were less likely to meet the PA recommendations than were adolescents in Group 2: 30.7% vs. 34.1% (P < .0001). During school days, the percentage of adolescents who spent more than 2 h · day−1 in sedentary activities was greater in the Group 1 (P < .001). Our results suggest that leisure-time out-of-school hours is used mainly for sedentary activities, and that school time provides a good opportunity for promoting PA.

Author(s)

  • Jérémy Vanhelst 1
  • Lauren Béghin 1
  • Alain Duhamel 2
  • Stefaan De Henauw 3
  • Denes Molnar 4
  • German Vicente-Rodriguez 5
  • Yannis Manios 6
  • Kurt Widhalm 7
  • Mathilde Kersting 8
  • Angela Polito 9
  • Jonatan R Ruiz 10
  • Luis A. Moreno 5
  • Frederic Gottrand 1

Institution(s)

  • 1

    Inserm, LIRIC, UMR 995, Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, France; CIC-PT-1403-Inserm-CH&U, Lille, CHU Lille,
  • 2

    Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, EA 2694 - Santé publique: épidémiologie et qualité des soins, Lille, France
  • 3

    Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • 4

    Department of Pediatrics, University of Pecs, Pécs, Hungary
  • 5

    GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain; Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain ORCID
  • 6

    Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
  • 7

    Division of Nutrition and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • 8

    Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Dortmund, Germany
  • 9

    Agricultural Research Council-Research Center on Food and Nutrition-(C.R.A. NUT formerly INRAN), Rome, Italy
  • 10

    PROFITH “PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity” research group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

Journal

Journal of Sports Sciences - Physical Activity for Health

Categories

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