Daily Physical Activity Among Children Between Ethnic Han and Mongolians in China

Abstract

Background: China is a multi-ethnic country, different ethnic groups due to genetic, living environment and conditions, eating habits, and these had great differences in the growth and development of children. Moreover, the ethnic Mongolian was one of the largest ethnic minorities beside the ethnic Han in China. An important strategy in order to achieve healthier body composition is to encourage a lifetime physical activity (PA) participation in overweight or obese children. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Chinese children are less physically active than children by weight status from the different ethnic.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2013. A total of 133 children enrolled in primary school in Huhhot (35 children) and Loudi (98 children), a city in north and south China, aged 9-10 years (mean age 10.5 ± 0.2), respective. The children consisted of normal-weight children (NW) or overweight/obese children (OW/OB) who determined by BMI according to working group of obesity in China out-offs. Daily PA was quantified by daily step and the time in PA measured using a uniaxial accelerometer (Lifecorder (LC)). Furthermore, LC determined the time spent in light, moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), corresponding to <3 metabolic equivalent (METs), 3-6 METs and >6 METs, respectively.

Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 42.8% (boys: 43.6%, girls: 41.8%) for mid-size city (MS) children, and 40.0% (boys: 37.5%, girls: 42.1%) for Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region children (IMAR), respectively. The daily PA outcomes (steps, total PA time and moderate-to-vigorous PA) declined in weekend than weekdays in both NW children and OW/OB children (p<0.05). Significant gender differences were found in all segments. Time spent in MVPA did significant differ by ethnic in both boys and girls during the weekdays and weekends (weekdays: 75.3±26.2 (MS) vs. 52.7±14.3 min/day (IMAR) for boys and 57.3±16.5 (MS) vs. 37.7±10.3 min/day (IMAR) for girls; weekends: 55.9±24.7 (MS) vs. 37.7±15.1 min/day (IMAR) for boys, and 44.6±15.9 (MS) vs. 31.7±15.8 min/day (IMAR) for girls, respectively, p<0.05).

Conclusion: Our finding suggests that the changes in PA, predominantly in the quantity and intensity of activity, are related to weight status in children, independent in different ethnic. Results also indicate the urgency of PA promotion among all children, but especially girls and the ethnic Mongolia children.