Last updated on 5-12-2024 by Laïla Boulbayem
Why do we study physical activity in adolescents?
- Physical activity includes all activities involving movement of the body that requires energy expenditure, regardless of the context, i.e. during leisure time, transport or as part of work or domestic activities, etc.
- In adolescents, regular physical activity has a positive impact on physical fitness, cardiometabolic health, bone health, concentration and other cognitive outcomes, mental health, decrease of body fat and sleep patterns.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years old should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, across the week. They should also practice physical activities of vigorous intensity at least three days a week.
How do we do it?
- We used accelerometers to objectively measure the amount and intensity of physical activity in adolescents. Accelerometers provide an accurate, reliable, and practical objective measure of physical activity. It measures accelerations caused by bodily movements and makes the distinction between time spent in different levels of physical activity. In adolescents, data from accelerometers are more accurate than data obtained from questionnaires which are often subject to recall bias and social desirability.
- Adolescents aged 10 to 17 years were asked to wear a triaxial accelerometer GT3X+ Actigraph® during seven consecutive days including two weekend days, during waking hours (except during water-based activities). The participants also registered in a diary all activities performed when the accelerometer was removed (except for sleeping during the night). This diary was used to complete the data provided by the accelerometers and provide a full overview of the amount and the intensity of physical activity.
- We calculated the time spent in different intensity levels of physical activity – i.e., low, moderate and vigorous intensity – on each day during which the accelerometer was worn. Average daily durations for the different intensity levels were then calculated for each individual and compared to the recommendations of the WHO to identify the proportion of adolescents meeting the guidelines.
Key results
19% of the adolescents aged 10 to 17 years are sufficiently physically active according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization.
The proportion of 10 to 17 years old adolescents having sufficient physical activity decreased between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
In 2022-2023, adolescents aged 10 to 17 years spent on average 41 minutes/day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Boys spend more time than girls in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Sex
Proportion of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years meeting the WHO physical activity guidelines, by sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- WHO physical activity guidelines: adolescents aged 10 to 17 years should have at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity across the week and at least three days a week including the practice of vigorous physical activity.
- In 2022 — 2023, 19% of the adolescents aged 10 to 17 years met the physical activity guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The proportion of adolescents being sufficiently physically active is 22% among boys and 15% among girls.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, by sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- In 2022-2023, adolescents aged 10 to 17 years spent on average 41 minutes/day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
- Boys spend on average more time than girls (46 minutes/day vs. 35 minutes/day) in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Educational level
Proportion of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years meeting the WHO physical activity guidelines, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- WHO physical activity guidelines: adolescents aged 10 to 17 years should have at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity across the week and at least three days a week including the practice of vigorous physical activity.
- The proportion of adolescents meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines is 16% among those from families with lower educational levels, 20% among those from families with mid-educational levels, and 23% among those from families with high-educational levels.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- Adolescents from families with higher educational levels spend on average more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (45 minutes/day) than adolescents from families with low-educational levels (37 minutes/day). Adolescents from families with mid- educational levels have an intermediate position and spend on average 41 minutes per day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Region and year
Proportion of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years meeting the WHO physical activity guidelines, by region and year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Adjusted = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status, and adjusted according to age and sex based on linear regression model (using the Belgian population of 2022-2023 as reference).
- WHO physical activity guidelines: adolescents aged 10 to 17 years should have at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity across the week and at least three days a week including the practice of vigorous physical activity.
- At the national level, the proportion of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years reaching the physical activity guidelines decreased from 29% in 2014-2015 to 18% in 2022-2023.
- In Flanders, the proportion of adolescents sufficiently active decreased from 35% in 2014-2015 to 18% in 2022-2023. In Wallonia, this proportion remained stable between both survey years (21% in 2014-2015 and 19% in 2022-2023).
- In 2014-2015, the proportion of adolescents meeting the guidelines was higher in Flanders (35%) than in Wallonia (21%). This difference between regions was not anymore present in 2022-2023.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, by region and year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Adjusted = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status, and adjusted according to age and sex based on linear regression model (using the Belgian population of 2022-2023 as reference).
- At the national level, adolescents aged 10 to 17 years spent on average less time per day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 2022-2023 (40 minutes/day) than in 2014-2015 (49 minutes/day).
- This decrease is observed in Flanders (from 51 minutes/day in 2014-2015 to 40 minutes/day in 2022-2023) while it is less pronounced in Wallonia (from 45 minutes/day in 2014-2015 to 41 minutes/day in 2022-2023).
- In 2014-2015, adolescents living in Flanders spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (51 minutes/day) than those living in Wallonia (45 minutes/day). This difference between regions was not anymore present in 2022-2023.
Sex and year
Proportion of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years meeting the WHO physical activity guidelines, by sex and year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Adjusted = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status, and adjusted according to age and sex based on linear regression model (using the Belgian population of 2022-2023 as reference).
- WHO physical activity guidelines: adolescents aged 10 to 17 years should have at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity across the week and at least three days a week including the practice of vigorous physical activity.
- The proportion of boys aged 10 to 17 years being sufficiently physically active according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations decreased from 45% in 2014-2015 to 22% in 2022-2023. By contrast, the proportion of 10 to 17 years old girls being sufficiently active remained unchanged between both survey years.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, by sex and year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Adjusted = results weighted for season, age, sex and socioeconomic status, and adjusted according to age and sex based on linear regression model (using the Belgian population of 2022-2023 as reference).
- The average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents aged 10 to 17 years decreased more substantially for boys than for girls between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adolescents: Amount and intensity of physical activity, Food Consumption Survey 2022-2023, December 2024, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.sciensano.be/en/results-national-food-consumption-survey-2022-2023/physical-activity-and-sedentary-behaviour-adolescents-between-10-and-17-years/amount-and-intensity