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Studies have shown that, on average, children’s physical activity (PA) levels in early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments are low, thus opening up the possibility of interventions. We examined the effect of the teacher-implemented one-year long ‘home-and-childcare-based intervention to promote physical activity’ (HIPPA) study on children’s PA in ECEC settings in Finland. Participating four-year-old children (N = 128) were cluster-randomised into two groups, intervention (seven childcare centres) and control (seven childcare centres), in autumn 2011. The children were observed directly during their ECEC times. Multilevel linear analysis was used to test the PA differences between the intervention conditions. Post-intervention results showed that the HIPPA intervention increased the children’s PA. To enhance the real-life effectiveness of the present multicomponent intervention, we examined methods based on the intervention’s success and found areas of development for future studies. Overall, promoting active play by ECEC personnel offers an effective way to enhance children’s PA. Furthermore, to ensure the sustainability of the intervention effects, specific changes in practice have been identified that should be transferred into the policies intended for ECEC settings. peerReviewed

Background Longitudinal studies demonstrate an average decline in physical activity (PA) from adolescence to young adulthood. However, while some subgroups of adolescents decrease activity, others increase or maintain high or low activity. Activity domains may differ between subgroups (exhibiting different PA patterns), and they offer valuable information for targeted health promotion. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify PA patterns from adolescence to young adulthood; also to explore the associations of (i) changes in PA domains and in sedentary time, (ii) sociodemographic factors, and (iii) self-rated health with diverging PA patterns. Methods The observational cohort study data encompassed 254 adolescents at age 15 and age 19. K-means cluster analysis for longitudinal data was performed to identify participant clusters (patterns) based on their accelerometry-measured moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Logistic regressions were applied in further analysis. Results Five PA patterns were identified: inactivity maintainers (n = 71), activity maintainers (n = 70), decreasers from moderate (to low) PA (n = 61), decreasers from high (to moderate) PA (n = 32), and increasers (n = 20). At age 15, participation in sports clubs (SC, 41–97%) and active commuting (AC, 47–75%) was common in all the patterns. By age 19, clear dropout from these activities was prevalent (SC participation mean 32%, AC 31–63%). Inactivity maintainers reported the lowest amount of weekly school physical education. Dropout from SC – in contrast to non-participation in SC – was associated with higher odds of being a decreaser from high PA, and with lower odds of being an inactivity maintainer. Maintained SC participation was associated with higher odds of belonging to the decreasers from high PA, and to the combined group of activity maintainers and increasers; also with lower odds of being an inactivity maintainer. Maintenance/adoption of AC was associated with decreased odds of being an inactivity maintainer. Self-reported health at age 19 was associated with the patterns of maintained activity and inactivity. Conclusions PA patterns diverge over the transition to adulthood. Changes in SC participation and AC show different associations with diverging PA patterns. Hence, tailored PA promotion is recommended. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12966-021-01130-x.

peer-reviewed The objective of this study was to analyze the associations of various individual- and environmental- related factors with subgroups of daily, frequent, moderate and low moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among children and adolescents. Data were obtained from the Finnish School-age Physical Activity (FSPA) study 2016 from 4677 national representative 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old children and adolescents. MVPA and individual- and environmental-related factors were assessed by a questionnaire and analyzed by two-level logistic regression. Seventeen of the twenty-one variables were statistically significantly associated with MVPA. However, only three variables were statistically significant in all MVPA subgroups, whereby self-directed PA at least twice a week, fewer perceived barriers, and higher peer support increased the odds of participating in more MVPA. The results from this study showed essential differences among the MVPA subgroups, also supporting previous findings, whereby various individual- and environmental-based factors are associated with children and adolescents’ levels of MVPA. Challenges to designing and implementing effective interventions are based on the need to account for individual differences within the population, as well as the varied connections between PA with different social and physical environments where children and adolescents’ PA takes place. PA interventions with various actions at multiple levels are warranted

Participation in organized sports is a popular and important part of the lives of children and adolescents and is associated with improved psychological and social health, as well as an increased likelihood of meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations. Changes in modern society, including increased car ownership and use of technology and electronic media, have led to an additional focus on the importance of health‐enhancing PA among children and adolescents. The aim of this article was to study the secular changes in self‐reports of participation in organized sports clubs and leisure‐time vigorous physical activity (LVPA), and whether the relationship between participation in organized sports clubs and LVPA has changed from 1985 to 2014. Questionnaire data were collected in two cross‐sectional samples of Finnish and Norwegian 11‐, 13‐ and 15‐year‐olds in 1985/1986 (n = 7137) and 2014 (n = 9218). Overall, participation in organized sports clubs and level of LVPA appears to have changed in the same direction in the two Nordic countries. The proportion of 11‐year‐olds reporting to be participants in organized sports clubs increased from 1985/1986 to 2014. There was an overall increase in self‐reported LVPA. The association between participation in sports clubs and LVPA was stronger in 2014 than in 1985/1986. The findings indicated subgroup differences, in particular with regard to a steeper increase in LVPA and participation in sports clubs among Finnish girls. We suggest that attention should be given to the role of organized sports to better understand secular changes in PA. peerReviewed

Funding agencies: Erasmus+ Col - laborative Partnerships grant (ref: 556953-EPP-1-2014-1-FI-SPO-SCP)

BackgroundMobile phone apps for monitoring and promoting physical activity (PA) are extremely popular among adults. Devices, such as heart rate monitors or sports watches (HRMs/SWs) that work with these apps are at sufficiently low costs to be available through the commercial markets. Studies have reported an increase in PA levels among adults with devices; however, it is unknown whether the phenomena are similar during early adolescence. At a time when adolescents start to develop their own sense of independence and build friendship, the ease of smartphone availability in developed countries needs to be investigated in important health promoting behaviors such as PA. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the ownership and usage of PA trackers (apps and HRM/SW) among adolescents in a national representative sample and to examine the association between use of devices and PA levels. MethodsThe Finnish school-aged physical activity (SPA) study consisted of 4575 adolescents, aged 11-, 13-, and 15-years, who took part in a web-based questionnaire during school time about PA behaviors between April and May 2016. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to test the associations between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and devices, after controlling for gender, age, disability, and family affluence. ResultsPA tracking devices have been categorized into two types, which are accessible to adolescents: (1) apps and (2) HRM/SW. Half the adolescents (2351/4467; 52.63%) own apps for monitoring PA, yet 16.12% (720/4467) report using apps. Fewer adolescents (782/4413; 17.72%) own HRM/SW and 9.25% (408/4413) use HRM/SW. In this study, users of HRM/SW were 2.09 times (95% CI 1.64-2.67), whereas users of apps were 1.4 times (95% CI 1.15-1.74) more likely to meet PA recommendations of daily MVPA for at least 60 min compared with adolescents without HRM/SW or without apps. ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study that describes the situation in Finland with adolescents using PA trackers and its association with PA levels. Implications of the use of apps and HRM/SW by adolescents are discussed.