Last updated on 5-12-2024 by Thérésa Lebacq
Why do we study the amount of physical activity in children?
- 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 children, regular physical activity has a positive impact on physical fitness, body weight, cardiometabolic health, bone health, concentration and other cognitive outcomes, mental health and sleep patterns.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children aged 3 and 4 years should practice at least 180 minutes of physical activity, all intensities combined, of which at least 60 minutes should be moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. Children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, across the week. They should also practise 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.
- Children aged 3 to 9 years were asked to wear a triaxial accelerometer GT3X+ Actigraph® during seven consecutive days including two week-end days, during waking hours (except during water-based activities). The participants and their parents or guardians 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 children meeting the guidelines.
Key results
31% of the children aged 3 to 9 years are sufficiently physically active according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization.
In children, more boys than girls do sufficient physical activity.
The proportion of 3 to 9 years old children having sufficient physical activity has decreased between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
In 2022-2023, children aged 3 to 9 years spent in average 51 minutes/day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Sex
Proportion of children aged 3 to 9 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: (1) for children aged 3 or 4 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity, all intensities combined, of which at least 60 minutes have to be moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; (2) children aged 5 to 9 years: 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, 31% of the children aged 3 to 9 years meet the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding physical activity.
- A higher proportion of boys (43%) than girls (19%) meet the WHO physical activity guidelines.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among children aged 3 to 9 years, by sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- In 2022-2023, children aged 3 to 9 years spent on average 51 minutes/day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
- Boys spend more time than girls (59 minutes/day vs. 43 minutes/day) in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Educational level
Proportion of children aged 3 to 9 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 education level of individuals rather than the education level of their households.
- WHO physical activity guidelines: (1) for children aged 3 or 4 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity, all intensities combined, of which at least 60 minutes have to be moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; (2) children aged 5 to 9 years: 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 children aged 3 to 9 years meeting the WHO physical activity guidelines is quite similar in the different educational level groups: 27% among children from families with low educational levels, 32% among children from families with mid-educational levels and 34% among children from families with high-educational levels.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among children aged 3 to 9 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 education level of individuals rather than the education level of their households.
- The average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is quite similar in the different educational levels groups: 47 minutes/day among children from families with low educational levels, 54 minutes per day among children from families with mid-educational levels and 52 minutes per day among children from families with high educational levels.
Region and year
Proportion of children aged 3 to 9 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: (1) for children aged 3 or 4 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity, all intensities combined, of which at least 60 minutes have to be moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; (2) children aged 5 to 9 years: 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 children aged 3 to 9 years reaching the physical activity guidelines decreased from 42% in 2014-2015 to 32% in 2022-2023.
- In Flanders, the proportion of children sufficiently active decreased from 46% in 2014-2015 to 36% in 2022-2023. In Wallonia, this proportion decreased from 36% in 2014-2015 to 25% in 2022-2023.
- Both in 2014-2015 and 2022-2023, the proportion of children meeting the guidelines was higher in Flanders than in Wallonia.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among children aged 3 to 9 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, children aged 3 to 9 years spent on average less time per day in moderate-to-vigorous activity in 2022-2023 (52 minutes/day) than in 2014-2015 (59 minutes per day).
- This decrease is observed both in Flanders (from 63 minutes per day in 2014-2015 to 55 minutes per day in 2022-2023) and in Wallonia (from 54 minutes per day in 2014-2015 to 45 minutes per day in 2022-2023).
- Both in 2014-2015 and in 2022-2023, children aged 3 to 9 years living in Flanders spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than those living in Wallonia.
Sex and year
Proportion of children aged 3 to 9 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: (1) for children aged 3 or 4 years: at least 180 minutes of physical activity, all intensities combined, of which at least 60 minutes have to be moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; (2) children aged 5 to 9 years: 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 children aged 3 to 9 years being sufficiently active according to the World Health Organization recommendations decreased similarly in boys and girls between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
Average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among children aged 3 to 9 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 children aged 3 to 9 years decreased similarly in boys and girls between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023.
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children: 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-children-aged-3-9-years/amount-and-intensity-physical