Research priorities for child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviours: an international perspective using a twin-panel Delphi procedure.
BACKGROUND
The quantity and quality of studies in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour have rapidly increased, but research directions are often pursued in a reactive and uncoordinated manner.


OBJECTIVE
To arrive at an international consensus on research priorities in the area of child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviour.


METHODS
Two independent panels, each consisting of 12 experts, undertook three rounds of a Delphi methodology. The Delphi methodology required experts to anonymously answer questions put forward by the researchers with feedback provided between each round.


RESULTS
The primary outcome of the study was a ranked set of 29 research priorities that aimed to be applicable for the next 10 years. The top three ranked priorities were: developing effective and sustainable interventions to increase children's physical activity long-term; policy and/or environmental change and their influence on children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour; and prospective, longitudinal studies of the independent effects of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health.


CONCLUSIONS
These research priorities can help to guide decisions on future research directions.
Health and Use of Time (HUT) Group, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Grant.Tomkinson@unisa.edu.au.
Lauren
L
Gillis
Grant
G
Tomkinson
Timothy
T
Olds
Carla
C
Moreira
Candice
C
Christie
Claudio
C
Nigg
Ester
E
Cerin
Esther
E
Van Sluijs
Gareth
G
Stratton
Ian
I
Janssen
Jeremy
J
Dorovolomo
John J
JJ
Reilly
Jorge
J
Mota
Kashef
K
Zayed
Kent
K
Kawalski
Lars Bo
LB
Andersen
Manuel
M
Carrizosa
Mark
M
Tremblay
Michael
M
Chia
Mike
M
Hamlin
Non Eleri
NE
Thomas
Ralph
R
Maddison
Stuart
S
Biddle
Trish
T
Gorely
Vincent
V
Onywera
Willem
W
Van Mechelen
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012106:Research; D057185:Sedentary Behavior