title: Results from Australia's 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Like many other countries, Australia is facing an inactivity epidemic. The purpose of the Australian 2014 Physical Activity Report Card initiative was to assess the behaviors, settings, and sources of influences and strategies and investments associated with the physical activity levels of Australian children and youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Research Working Group (RWG) drawn from experts around Australia collaborated to determine key indicators, assess available datasets, and the metrics which should be used to inform grades for each indicator and factors to consider when weighting the data. The RWG then met to evaluate the synthesized data to assign a grade to each indicator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall Physical Activity Levels were assigned a grade of D-. Other physical activity behaviors were also graded as less than average (D to D-), while Organized Sport and Physical Activity Participation was assigned a grade of B-. The nation performed better for settings and sources of influence and Government Strategies and Investments (A- to a C). Four incompletes were assigned due to a lack of representative quality data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence suggests that physical activity levels of Australian children remain very low, despite moderately supportive social, environmental and regulatory environments. There are clear gaps in the research which need to be filled and consistent data collection methods need to be put into place.
authors.affiliation: University of South Australia.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schranz
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olds
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cliff
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davern
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Engelen
authors.forename: Billie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giles-Corti
authors.forename: Sjaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomersall
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Kylie
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authors.lastname: Hesketh
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hills
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lubans
authors.forename: Doune
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: Rona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Macniven
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okely
authors.forename: Anne Maree
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Parish
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plotnikoff
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shilton
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Straker
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Timperio
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trost
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vella
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ziviani
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomkinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012106:Research; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013177:Sports