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. 2025 May 7;25(1):1680.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22867-1.

Effects of weight status, sex, age, sedentary behavior, pubertal status and socioeconomic status on the physical activity of children and adolescents

Alma Weimann  1 , Mandy Vogel  2   3   4 , Tanja Poulain  2   3   4 , Wieland Kiess  2   3   4
Affiliations

Effects of weight status, sex, age, sedentary behavior, pubertal status and socioeconomic status on the physical activity of children and adolescents

Alma Weimann et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity, especially in the context of the worldwide childhood obesity epidemic, is still a growing public health concern. Moreover, both physical inactivity and overweight often become ingrained and subsequently persist into adulthood. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate how weight status, sex, age, sedentary behavior, pubertal status and socioeconomic status influence physical activity levels in children and adolescents.

Methods: This study utilized accelerometer data (SenseWear Pro 2, Bodymedia) to explore correlations between the outcome variable physical activity levels and the predictor variables weight status, sex, age, sedentary behavior, pubertal status and socioeconomic status. We analyzed 847 observations from 397 children and adolescents between the ages of 5.9 and 17.9 years, employing linear mixed-effect regression models. Roughly 55% of participants were categorized as overweight, 45% normal- or underweight.

Results: A mere 18% of the cohort met the World Health Organization`s activity recommendations for 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day on weekdays. Specifically, children classified as overweight/obese participated less frequently in MVPA compared with their normal or lower weight peers. Children 14 years of age or younger with overweight or obesity were 30 min less active per day on weekends (p < 0.001). Furthermore, girls were less active than boys. This effect was most pronounced on weekends for those between the ages of 14 and 17.9, when girls engaged in 21 fewer min of MVPA (p = 0.013). Across all participants, every year older corresponded to a weekly decrease in MVPA of approximately 47 min (p < 0.001). Additionally, MVPA levels declined significantly with advancing pubertal stage, with postpubertal adolescents accumulating 4.1 h less MVPA than their prepubertal peers (p < 0.001). Low socioeconomic status was associated with an 18-minute reduction in MVPA (p = 0.016) on weekends, but only in boys.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a significant association between physical activity levels and the examined predictors, highlighting the importance of addressing multiple factors to enhance physical activity engagement. The results underscore the need for a multifaceted, targeted approach at enhancing physical activity levels and improving child health, curbing the ongoing prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood and subsequent adulthood.

Keywords: Accelerometer; Adolescent; Child; MVPA; Obesity; Physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The LIFE Child Study is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and has received ethical approval from the Ethical Committee of the Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig (reg. no. 477/19-ek, 09.10.2020). It is registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ (NCT02550236). Informed written consent is obtained from all parents or legal guardian as well as children over the age of 12 years. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Association between MVPA and weight status (per week)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Association between MVPA and age (per week)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Association between MVPA and pubertal status (per week)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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