title: Interaction of physical activity and interoception in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes, whereas physical inactivity is related to an increased risk for various health issues including obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Previous research indicates that interindividual differences in the perception of bodily processes (interoceptive sensitivity, IS) interact with the degree of PA in adults. Whether there is a similar relationship between PA and IS in children has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between IS and PA during physical performance tasks and in everyday situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  IS was assessed using a heartbeat perception task in a sample of 49 children within the health promotion program "Join the Healthy Boat" which is implemented in several primary schools in the southwest of Germany. PA was examined using a physical performance task, assessing the distance covered during a standardized 6-min run. In a subsample of 21 children, everyday PA was measured by a multi-sensor device (Actiheart, CamNtech, Cambridge, UK) during five consecutive days with more than 10 h of daily data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with higher IS performed better in the physical performance task. Additionally, based on energy expenditure defined as metabolic equivalents, IS was positively correlated with the extent of light PA levels in the morning and afternoon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings reveal that IS interacts positively with the degree of PA in children supporting the idea that interoception is important for the self-regulation of health-related behavior.
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Eleana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matthias
authors.affiliation: Research Group "Join the Healthy Boat - Primary School", Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobel
authors.affiliation: Research Group "Join the Healthy Boat - Primary School", Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kettner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dreyhaupt
authors.affiliation: Research Group "Join the Healthy Boat - Primary School", Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Steinacker
authors.affiliation: Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pollatos
keywords: childhood/youth; interoception; interoceptive sensitivity; metabolic equivalent; physical performance; self-regulation