Appropriateness of the definition of 'sedentary' in young children: Whole-room calorimetry study. Issue 5 (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reilly, John J.; Janssen, Xanne; Cliff, Dylan P.; Okely, Anthony D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 18:Issue 5(2015:Sep.)
• Page Start: 565
• Page End: 568
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.07.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objectives</title> <p id="spar0005">The present study aimed to measure the energy cost of three common sedentary activities in young children to test whether energy expended was consistent with the recent consensus definition of 'sedentary' as 'any behaviour conducted in a sitting or reclining posture and with an energy cost ≤1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs)' (Sedentary Behaviour Research Network, 2012).</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0315">Design</title> <p id="spar8810">Observational study.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Methods</title> <p id="spar0010">Whole-room calorimetry measures of television viewing, sitting at a table drawing and reading, and sitting on the floor playing with toys were made in 40 young children (mean age 5.3 years, SD 1.0).</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Results</title> <p id="spar0015">The energy cost of each sedentary activity was consistent with the recent consensus definition of sedentary: 1.17 METs (95% CI 1.07–1.27) for TV viewing; 1.38 METs (95% CI 1.30–1.46) for sitting at a table; and 1.35 METs (95% CI 1.28–1.43) for floor-based play.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Conclusions</title> <p id="spar0020">Common sedentary activities in young children have energy costs which are consistent with the recent consensus definition of 'sedentary', and the present study is supportive of this definition.</p> </sec> </abstract>