The association among SES, screen time, and outdoor play in children at different ages:The GECKO Drenthe study

Introduction: This study examined the association among socioeconomic status (SES), screen time, and outdoor play in children at different ages in the GECKO Drenthe birth cohort study. Methods: Valid data were obtained from two surveys at ages 3–4 years and 10–11 years. Screen time (TV watching and computer use) and outdoor play were reported by parents. Childhood SES was derived by a synthetic “Equivalized Household Income Indicator,” an estimated disposable income. Quantile regression models (cross-sectional analysis) and linear regression models (change between 3–4 and 10–11 years) were used. Results: In general, screen time increased strongly from a median of 51 min/day at 3–4 years (n = 888) to 122 min/day at 10–11 years (n = 1023), whereas time spent on outdoor play remained stable over age (77 min/day at 3–4 years and 81 min/day at 10–11 years). More time spent on outdoor play (50th quantile) was found in children with low SES families at 3–4 years, while at 10–11 years, more outdoor play was found in the high SES group. At 10–11 years, in the higher ranges of screen time, children from high SES had relatively lower screen time [50th quantile: −10.7 (−20.8; −0.6); 75th quantile: −13.6 (−24.4; −2.8)]. In the longitudinal analysis (n = 536), high SES was associated with an increasing time spent on outdoor play [11.7 (2.7; 20.8)]. Conclusion: Socioeconomic disparities in children's outdoor play and screen behavior may be more obvious with increasing age. Low SES may facilitate both outdoor play (at 3–4 years) and screen time (at 10–11 years); however, children from high SES families develop slightly more favorable behavior patterns with age.</p

Relation Between Leisure Time, Commuting, and Occupational Physical Activity With Blood Pressure in 125 402 Adults:The Lifelines Cohort

Background Whether all domains of daily-life moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are associated with lower blood pressure (BP) and how this association depends on age and body mass index remains unclear. Methods and Results In the population-based Lifelines cohort (N=125 402), MVPA was assessed by the Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity, a validated questionnaire in different domains such as commuting, leisure-time, and occupational PA. BP was assessed using the last 3 of 10 measurements after 10 minutes' rest in the supine position. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg and/or use of antihypertensives. In regression analysis, higher commuting and leisure-time but not occupational MVPA related to lower BP and lower hypertension risk. Commuting-and-leisure-time MVPA was associated with BP in a dose-dependent manner. β Coefficients (95% CI) from linear regression analyses were -1.64 (-2.03 to -1.24), -2.29 (-2.68 to -1.90), and finally -2.90 (-3.29 to -2.50) mm Hg systolic BP for the low, middle, and highest tertile of MVPA compared with "No MVPA" as the reference group after adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking and alcohol use. Further adjustment for body mass index attenuated the associations by 30% to 50%, but more MVPA remained significantly associated with lower BP and lower risk of hypertension. This association was age dependent. β Coefficients (95% CI) for the highest tertiles of commuting-and-leisure-time MVPA were -1.67 (-2.20 to -1.15), -3.39 (-3.94 to -2.82) and -4.64 (-6.15 to -3.14) mm Hg systolic BP in adults 60 years, respectively. Conclusions Higher commuting and leisure-time but not occupational MVPA were significantly associated with lower BP and lower hypertension risk at all ages, but these associations were stronger in older adults

The association among SES, screen time, and outdoor play in children at different ages:The GECKO Drenthe study

Introduction: This study examined the association among socioeconomic status (SES), screen time, and outdoor play in children at different ages in the GECKO Drenthe birth cohort study. Methods: Valid data were obtained from two surveys at ages 3–4 years and 10–11 years. Screen time (TV watching and computer use) and outdoor play were reported by parents. Childhood SES was derived by a synthetic “Equivalized Household Income Indicator,” an estimated disposable income. Quantile regression models (cross-sectional analysis) and linear regression models (change between 3–4 and 10–11 years) were used. Results: In general, screen time increased strongly from a median of 51 min/day at 3–4 years (n = 888) to 122 min/day at 10–11 years (n = 1023), whereas time spent on outdoor play remained stable over age (77 min/day at 3–4 years and 81 min/day at 10–11 years). More time spent on outdoor play (50th quantile) was found in children with low SES families at 3–4 years, while at 10–11 years, more outdoor play was found in the high SES group. At 10–11 years, in the higher ranges of screen time, children from high SES had relatively lower screen time [50th quantile: −10.7 (−20.8; −0.6); 75th quantile: −13.6 (−24.4; −2.8)]. In the longitudinal analysis (n = 536), high SES was associated with an increasing time spent on outdoor play [11.7 (2.7; 20.8)]. Conclusion: Socioeconomic disparities in children's outdoor play and screen behavior may be more obvious with increasing age. Low SES may facilitate both outdoor play (at 3–4 years) and screen time (at 10–11 years); however, children from high SES families develop slightly more favorable behavior patterns with age.</p

Later achievement of infant motor milestones is related to lower levels of physical activity during childhood::the GECKO Drenthe cohort

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate whether age of infant motor milestone achievement is related to levels of physical activity (PA), weight status and blood pressure at age 4-7 years of age. METHODS: In the Dutch GECKO (Groningen Expert Center of Kids with Obesity) Drenthe cohort, the age of achieving the motor milestone 'walking without support' was reported by parents. Weight status and blood pressure were assessed by trained health nurses and PA was measured using the Actigraph GT3X between age 4 and 7 years. RESULTS: Adjusted for children's age, sex and the mother's education level, infants who achieved walking without support at a later age, spent more time in sedentary behaviour during childhood and less time in moderate-to-vigorous PA. Later motor milestones achievement was not related to higher BMI Z-score, waist circumference Z-score, diastolic or systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that a later age of achieving motor milestone within the normal range have a weak relation to lower PA levels at later age. It is not likely that this will have consequences for weight status or blood pressure at 4-7 years of age