title: Physical activity in school-age children born preterm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare objectively measured physical activity in 11- and 15-year-old children who were born preterm with term-born controls and related physical activity measures to lung function measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We compared total physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and sedentary behavior between children born at 25-32, 33-34, 35-36, and 37-43 weeks' gestation at ages 11 and 15 years. At age 11 years, physical activity measures were correlated with lung spirometry recorded at age 7-9 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Valid physical activity data at age 11 years were available for 5025, 197, 57, and 48 children born at 37-43, 35-36, 33-34, and 25-32 weeks' gestation, respectively. At age 15 years, valid physical activity data were available for 1829, 62, 32, and 24 children born at 37-43, 35-36, 33-34, and 25-32 weeks' gestation. Boys were more physically active than girls at both ages. There were no differences in total physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, or sedentary behavior in children between the different gestation groups. Physical activity at age 11 years did not correlate with spirometry measures at age 7-9 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical activity was similar for the different gestational groups and did not correlate with lung spirometry. Physical activity does not appear to be limited in preterm-born children despite lung function deficits noted in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: W John
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kotecha
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Electronic address: kotechas@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sailesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kotecha
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry