Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32183834›Full record

SynthesisThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2020

Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe - harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents.

Jostein Steene-Johannessen, Bjørge Herman Hansen, Knut Eirik Dalene, Elin Kolle, Kate Northstone, Niels Christian Møller, Anders Grøntved, Niels Wedderkopp, Susi Kriemler, Angie S Page and 42 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 183 papers, 15 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
183citing papers in PubMed, 15 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

183 citing papers in PubMed, 15 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Physical Literacy and Obesity Risk in Children: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
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  15. Physical activity and sedentary time of youth in structured settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2020
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123 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

52 authors.

Jostein Steene-JohannessenDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway. josteinst@nih.no.ORCID 0000-0002-3710-9021
Bjørge Herman HansenDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway.
Knut Eirik DaleneDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway.
Elin KolleDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway.
Kate NorthstonePopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK.
Niels Christian MøllerResearch Unit for Exercise Epidemiology and Centre of Research in Childhood Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Anders GrøntvedResearch Unit for Exercise Epidemiology and Centre of Research in Childhood Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Niels WedderkoppResearch Unit for Exercise Epidemiology and Centre of Research in Childhood Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Susi KriemlerEpidemiology, Biostatistcs and Prevention Institute, University Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Angie S PageCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Jardena J PuderObstetric service, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
John J ReillyPhysical Activity for Health Group, School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Luis B SardinhaPortugal, Exercise and Health Laboratory, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Esther M F van SluijsCentre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) & MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Lars Bo AndersenDepartment of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway.
Hidde van der PloegDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Wolfgang AhrensLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
Claudia FlexederHelmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
Marie StandlHelmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
Holger ShculzHelmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
Luis A MorenoGENUD research group, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Zaragoza, Insituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Zaragoza, Spain.
Stefaan De HenauwDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Nathalie MichelsDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Greet CardonDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Francisco B OrtegaSchool of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Jonatan RuizSchool of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Susana AznarPAFS Research group, Faculty of Sports Sciences, UCLM, Ciudad Real, Spain.
Mikael FogelholmDepartment of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Andrew DecelisInstitute for Physical Education and Sport, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
Line Grønholt OlesenResearch Unit for Exercise Epidemiology and Centre of Research in Childhood Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Mads Fiil HjorthDepartment of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports Unit for obesity research Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Rute SantosFaculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Susana ValeDepartment of Sport Science, High School of Education, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Lars Breum ChristiansenResearch Unit for Exercise Epidemiology and Centre of Research in Childhood Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Russ JagoCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Laura BasterfieldInstitute of Health & Society and Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Christopher G OwenPopulation Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, UK.
Claire M NightingalePopulation Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, UK.
Gabriele EibenDepartment of Biomedicine and Public Health, School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden.
Angela PolitoCREA Research Centre for Food and Nutrition, Rome, Italy.
Fabio LauriaNational Research Council, Institute of Food Sciences, Avellino, Italy.
Jeremy VanhelstInserm, CHU Lille,U995 - LIRIC - Lille Inflammation Research International Center, CIC 1403 - Clinical Investigation Centre, University of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France.
Charalambos HadjigeorgiouResearch and Education Institute of Child Health, Strovolos, Cyprus.
Kenn KonstabelNational Institute for Health Development, Tervise Arengu Instituut, Tallin, Estonia.
Dénes MolnárUniversity of Pecs, Medical Faculty, Pécs, Hungary.
Ole SprengelerLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
Yannis ManiosDepartment of Nutrition & Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Jaanus HarroDepartment of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Anthony KafatosSchool of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
Sigmund Alfred AnderssenDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway.
Ulf EkelundDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014, Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway.
Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity knowledge hub (DEDIPAC); International Children’s Accelerometry Database (ICAD) Collaborators, IDEFICS Consortium and HELENA Consortium

Funding

British Heart FoundationCancer Research UKChief Scientist OfficeDepartment of HealthMedical Research Council G0501306Medical Research Council G0701877Medical Research Council MC_PC_15018Medical Research Council MC_PC_19009Medical Research Council MC_UU_00006/4Medical Research Council MC_UU_00006/5Medical Research Council MC_UU_12015/3Medical Research Council MC_UU_12015/3; MC_UU_12015/7Medical Research Council MC_UU_12015/7Medical Research Council MR/K023187/1Medical Research Council MR/K02325X/1National Prevention Research Initiative G0701877
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLevels of physical activity and variation in physical activity and sedentary time by place and person in European children and adolescents are largely unknown. The objective of the study was to assess the variations in objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in children and adolescents across Europe.

methodsSix databases were systematically searched to identify pan-European and national data sets on physical activity and sedentary time assessed by the same accelerometer in children (2 to 9.9 years) and adolescents (≥10 to 18 years). We harmonized individual-level data by reprocessing hip-worn raw accelerometer data files from 30 different studies conducted between 1997 and 2014, representing 47,497 individuals (2-18 years) from 18 different European countries.

resultsOverall, a maximum of 29% (95% CI: 25, 33) of children and 29% (95% CI: 25, 32) of adolescents were categorized as sufficiently physically active. We observed substantial country- and region-specific differences in physical activity and sedentary time, with lower physical activity levels and prevalence estimates in Southern European countries. Boys were more active and less sedentary in all age-categories. The onset of age-related lowering or leveling-off of physical activity and increase in sedentary time seems to become apparent at around 6 to 7 years of age.

conclusionsTwo third of European children and adolescents are not sufficiently active. Our findings suggest substantial gender-, country- and region-specific differences in physical activity. These results should encourage policymakers, governments, and local and national stakeholders to take action to facilitate an increase in the physical activity levels of young people across Europe.

Indexed as

AccelerometrySedentary BehaviorAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolEuropeExerciseFemaleHumansMale

Identifiers

PMID32183834
PMCPMC7079516

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.