title: Appropriateness of the definition of 'sedentary' in young children: Whole-room calorimetry study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to measure the energy cost of three common sedentary activities in young children to test whether energy expended was consistent with the recent consensus definition of 'sedentary' as 'any behaviour conducted in a sitting or reclining posture and with an energy cost ≤ 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs)' (Sedentary Behaviour Research Network, 2012).
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole-room calorimetry measures of television viewing, sitting at a table drawing and reading, and sitting on the floor playing with toys were made in 40 young children (mean age 5.3 years, SD 1.0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The energy cost of each sedentary activity was consistent with the recent consensus definition of sedentary: 1.17 METs (95% CI 1.07-1.27) for TV viewing; 1.38 METs (95% CI 1.30-1.46) for sitting at a table; and 1.35 METs (95% CI 1.28-1.43) for floor-based play.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Common sedentary activities in young children have energy costs which are consistent with the recent consensus definition of 'sedentary', and the present study is supportive of this definition.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom. Electronic address: john.j.reilly@strath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom; Interdisciplinary Educational Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Xanne
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Educational Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Dylan P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Cliff
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Educational Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Okely
mesh_terms: D002151:Calorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013690:Television
keywords: Calorimetry; Children; Measurement; Obesity; Preschool; Sedentary behaviour