title: Objectively measured sedentary time in youth with cerebral palsy compared with age-, sex-, and season-matched youth who are developing typically: an explorative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children with cerebral palsy (CP) demonstrate reduced physical activity levels compared with children with typical development. Sedentary behavior, including the duration and frequency of sedentary bouts, has not yet been objectively examined in this population but may have clinical implications for the development of secondary health complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify time spent sedentary and frequency of breaks interrupting sedentary time in youth with CP compared with youth without CP. It was hypothesized that individuals with CP would spend more hours sedentary than their peers and take fewer breaks to interrupt sedentary time.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional, prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 17 ambulatory children with CP (15 boys and 2 girls) (mean age=13.0 years, SD=2.2) and 17 age-, sex-, and season-matched youth who were developing typically (TD group) (mean age=12.9 years, SD=2.5) wore an accelerometer over a 7-day period. Sedentary time (in minutes) and number of breaks from sedentary time, corrected for monitoring and sedentary time, respectively, were examined. Differences between groups were determined with an independent-samples t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with CP engaged in significantly more sedentary time (X̅=47.5 min/h, SD=4.9) compared with the TD group (X̅=43.6 min/h, SD=4.2), with significantly fewer breaks from sedentary time (CP group: X̅=179, SD=70; TD group: X̅=232 breaks/h sedentary, SD=61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample included only ambulatory youth with CP, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I to III.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sedentary time was higher in the CP group and was characterized by less frequent breaks compared with the TD group. Future research should examine the extent to which sedentary time is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic risk in youth with CP.
authors.affiliation: J. Obeid, BScKin, Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.affiliation: A.C.J. Balemans, PhD, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Astrid C J
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Balemans
authors.affiliation: S.G. Noorduyn, BHSc, Health Research Methodology Program, McMaster University.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Noorduyn
authors.affiliation: J.W. Gorter, MD, PhD, FRCPC, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, 1400 Main St W, Room 408, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7. gorter@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Jan Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gorter
authors.affiliation: B.W. Timmons, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University.
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Timmons
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors