title: Comparisons in ambulatory physical activity in children from the United Kingdom and Belgium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to examine ambulatory physical activity levels in adolescents from the UK and Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following ethics approval, 2760 children (1247 boys, 1513 girls), aged 9-14 years from Belgium (n = 1614) and the UK (n = 1146), wore a pedometer for 4 days including at least 1 weekend day. Body mass index (BMI) was determined from height and mass.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 2 (gender) × 2 (country) way ANCOVA, controlling for age and BMI, revealed a significant country-by-gender interaction for steps/day (p = 0.0001). In both Belgium and the UK, boys were more physically active than girls (both p = 0.0001), but the difference between boys and girls was greater for Belgian than UK children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest there are differences in the ambulatory physical activity patterns of children in the UK and Belgium.
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular and Sports Science, Coventry University , Coventry , UK and.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Samantha L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eyre
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rutten
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seghers
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Cross-cultural; obesity; pedometry; physical activity