Ethnic and gender differences in physical activity levels among 9-10-year-old children of white European, South Asian and African-Caribbean origin: the Child Heart Health Study in England (CHASE Study).
BACKGROUND
Ethnic differences in physical activity in children in the UK have not been accurately assessed. We made objective measurements of physical activity in 9-10-year-old British children of South Asian, black African-Caribbean and white European origin.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of urban primary school children (2006-07). Actigraph-GT1M activity monitors were worn by 2071 children during waking hours on at least 1 full day. Ethnic differences in mean daily activity [counts, counts per minute of registered time (CPM) and steps] were adjusted for age, gender, day of week and month. Multilevel modelling allowed for repeated days within individual and clustering within school.


RESULTS
In white Europeans, mean daily counts, CPM and mean daily steps were 394,785, 498 and 10,220, respectively. South Asian and black Caribbean children recorded more registered time per day than white Europeans (34 and 36 min, respectively). Compared with white Europeans, South Asians recorded 18 789 fewer counts [95% confidence interval (CI) 6390-31 187], 41 fewer CPM 95% CI 26-57) and 905 fewer steps (95% CI 624-1187). Black African-Caribbeans recorded 25 359 more counts (95% CI 14 273-36 445), and similar CPM, but fewer steps than white Europeans. Girls recorded less activity than boys in all ethnic groups, with 74 782 fewer counts (95% CI 66 665-82 899), 84 fewer CPM (95% CI 74-95) and 1484 fewer steps (95% CI 1301-1668).


CONCLUSIONS
British South Asian children have lower objectively measured physical activity levels than European whites and black African-Caribbeans.
Division of Community Health Sciences, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, UK. cowen@sgul.ac.uk
Christopher G
CG
Owen
Claire M
CM
Nightingale
Alicja R
AR
Rudnicka
Derek G
DG
Cook
Ulf
U
Ekelund
Peter H
PH
Whincup
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010507:Periodicity; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data