Objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary behaviour does not differ between children and adolescents with and without a congenital heart defect: a pilot examination. Cardiol Young 2012 Feb;22(1):34-41
Date
07/07/2011Pubmed ID
21729504DOI
10.1017/S1047951111000837Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84857478342 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 25 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVES: To objectively evaluate and describe physical activity levels in children with a stable congenital heart defect and compare those levels with children who do not have a congenital heart defect.
METHODS: We matched 21 pairs of children for gender and grade in school and gave them an accelerometer-based motion sensor to wear for 7 consecutive days.
RESULTS: Physical activity levels did not differ between children with and without a congenital heart defect. During the 7 days of monitoring, children in this study spent most of their time in sedentary behaviours, that is, 6.7 hours of the 13 monitored hours, 54 minutes in moderate-intensity physical activity, and 12 minutes in vigorous-intensity physical activity. Less than one-fifth of all participants, with or without a congenital heart defect, accumulated sufficient physical activity to meet current physical activity recommendations for children and adolescents.
CONCLUSION: Children with a stable congenital heart defect have activity behaviours that are similar to children without a congenital heart defect. Habitual physical activity in children with a congenital heart defect should be encouraged early on in life to develop strong physical activity habits that will hopefully follow them across their lifespan.
Author List
Ewalt LA, Danduran MJ, Strath SJ, Moerchen V, Swartz AMAuthor
Victoria Moerchen BA,BS,MS,PhD Assistant Professor in the Human Movement Sciences department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentChild
Female
Heart Defects, Congenital
Humans
Male
Motor Activity
Pilot Projects
