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Background: Lack of physical activity is a growing problem in China, due to the fast economic development and changing living environment over the past two decades. The aim of this review is to summarize the factors related to physical activity in Chinese children and adolescents during this distinct period of development. Methods: A systematic search was finished on Jan 10th, 2017, and identified 2200 hits through PubMed and Web of Science. English-language published studies were included if they reported statistical associations between factors and physical activity. Adapted criteria from the Strengthening The Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and evaluation of the quality of prognosis studies in systematic reviews (QUIPS) were used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. Related factors that were reported in at least three studies were summarized separately for children and adolescents using a semi-quantitative method. Results: Forty two papers (published 2002-2016) were included. Most designs were cross-sectional (79%), and most studies used questionnaires to assess physical activity. Sample size was above 1000 in 18 papers (43%). Thirty seven studies (88%) showed acceptable quality by methodological quality assessment. Most studies reported a low level of physical activity. Boys were consistently more active than girls, the parental physical activity was positively associated with children and adolescents' physical activity, children in suburban/rural regions showed less activity than in urban regions, and, specifically in adolescents, self-efficacy was positively associated with physical activity. Family socioeconomic status and parental education were not associated with physical activity in children and adolescents. Conclusions: The studies included in this review were large but mostly of low quality in terms of study design (cross-sectional) and methods (questionnaires). Parental physical activity and self-efficacy are promising targets for future physical activity promotion programmes. The low level of physical activity raises concern, especially in suburban/rural regions. Future research is required to enhance our understanding of other influences, such as the physical environment, especially in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased dependence on motorized transportation may contribute to obesity. Countries in rapid socioeconomic transitions, such as China, provide an opportunity to investigate such an association. Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the hypotheses that increased dependence on motorized transportation is related to adiposity and that this effect will be more pronounced in adults with high SES or those who live in urban regions. Methods: Data from the longitudinal China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted from 1997 to 2006 (n=3853, aged 18–55 years at baseline, 52% women, ∼7.8 years'' follow-up) were used to examine the association between motorized transportation (none, 1–5 years, >5 years) and changes in body weight and waist circumference (WC) by using multivariate regression. SES factors were obtained from questionnaires. Data were analyzed in 2010. Results: Use of motorized transportation for >5 years was related to ∼1.2 kg greater weight gain (p=0.006) and ∼1.0 cm larger WC gain (p=0.017) in men, when compared with the nonmotorized transportation group and adjusted for baseline age, anthropometry, dietary intake, and follow-up time. These changes were slightly more pronounced in men with higher income or from rural areas, but the difference was not significant. In women, the tendency to have motorized transportation with weight gain was less pronounced (+1.1 kg, p=0.008). Low education and high income were the most predominant factors. In 2006, motorized transportation was associated with a 1.3-fold higher OR for obesity (p trend=0.054) and abdominal obesity (p trend=0.047) in men, and a 2-fold higher OR of obesity in women (p trend <0.001). Conclusions: Motorized transportation was related to an increase in adiposity in the Chinese population, particularly in men. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Physical activity may modify the association of adiposity with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the independent and joint association of adiposity and physical activity with fasting plasma glucose, impaired fasting glucose, and type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population., Research Design and Methods: Middle-aged and older Chinese (n=28,946, ≥50 years, 72.4%women) from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study were examined in 2003-2008. Multivariable regression was used in a cross-sectional analysis., Results: BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were positively associated with type 2 diabetes after multiple adjustment, most strongly for WHR with odds ratio (OR) of 3.99 (95% CI 3.60-4.42) for highest compared with lowest tertile. Lack of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, but not walking, was associated with diabetes with an OR of 1.29 (1.17-1.41). The association of moderate-to-vigorous activity with fasting glucose varied with WHR tertiles (P=0.01 for interaction). Within the high WHR tertile, participants who had a lack of moderate-to-vigorous activity had an OR of 3.87 (3.22-4.65) for diabetes, whereas those who were active had an OR of 2.94 (2.41-3.59)., Conclusions: In this population, WHR was a better measure of adiposity-related diabetes risk than BMI or waist circumference. Higher moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with lower diabetes risk, especially in abdominally obese individuals.