Key result
Physical activity levels did not differ between children with and without a congenital heart defect, with participants spending 6.7 hours/day sedentary and 54 minutes in moderate-intensity activity.
Why the study?
Do physical activity levels differ between children with and without a stable congenital heart defect?
Case-Control (n=42)
Do physical activity levels differ between children with and without a stable congenital heart defect?
Children with stable congenital heart defects have similar, generally insufficient, physical activity levels compared to healthy peers, highlighting the need to encourage habitual physical activity in this population.
Activity levels similarly insufficient in children with/without stable CHD; hypothesis-generating for promotion strategies, should not yet change practice.
OBJECTIVES: To objectively evaluate and describe physical activity levels in children with a stable congenital heart defect and compare those levels with children who do not have a congenital heart defect. METHODS: We matched 21 pairs of children for gender and grade in school and gave them an accelerometer-based motion sensor to wear for 7 consecutive days. RESULTS: Physical activity levels did not differ between children with and without a congenital heart defect. During the 7 days of monitoring, children in this study spent most of their time in sedentary behaviours, that is, 6.7 hours of the 13 monitored hours, 54 minutes in moderate-intensity physical activity, and 12 minutes in vigorous-intensity physical activity. Less than one-fifth of all participants, with or without a congenital heart defect, accumulated sufficient physical activity to meet current physical activity recommendations for children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: Children with a stable congenital heart defect have activity behaviours that are similar to children without a congenital heart defect. Habitual physical activity in children with a congenital heart defect should be encouraged early on in life to develop strong physical activity habits that will hopefully follow them across their lifespan.
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Ewalt et al. (2011) conducted a case-control in stable congenital heart defect (n=42). Congenital heart defect vs. No congenital heart defect was evaluated on Physical activity levels. Physical activity levels did not differ between children with and without a congenital heart defect, with participants spending 6.7 hours/day sedentary and 54 minutes in moderate-intensity activity.
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