Physical activity, fitness & health – from lifespan development to individualized health enhancing physical activity

Lack of exercise and an increasing prevalence of physical inactivity are a major health concern in modern societies. Indeed, research shows that physical inactivity is associated with higher costs than other less-favorable lifestyle behaviors such as smoking. Apart from the impact of physical inactivity on personal health, there are various consequences for society and the general public.

Physical fitness and physical activity are important aspects of a healthy development across the life span. At the Institute of Sports and Sports Science (IfSS) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), we conduct several studies to examine the associations between physical activity, fitness and health in both children and adults. Some of these studies will be discussed during the presentation.

For example, the primary goal of the longitudinal Motorik-Modul study (MoMo; 2003-2023) is to examine the developmental and historical/ periodic trends in physical activity and fitness and their underlying determinants, as well as potential effects of physical activity and fitness on various health-related outcomes in children and adolescents using a panel and cohort design. According to the MoMo data (MoMo baseline survey, N = 4528 children and adolescents, 2003-2006; wave 1, 2009-2012, wave 2, 2014-2017; wave 3, 2018-2022; 3 additional COVID-19 snapshots surveys, April 2020, Feb 2021, post-COVID March 2023), only one third of adolescents in Germany meet the physical activity level recommended by the WHO, i.e., being physically active at moderate intensity for one hour per day on at least five days per week. Furthermore, the MoMo study provides valuable epidemiological information about the extent and development of physical activity in the different subpopulations, which is important for identifying “vulnerable” groups of physically inactive children and adolescents. It is necessary to gain knowledge about determinants which are potentially relevant for both development and maintenance of exercise behavior in these groups. To this end, both internal (e.g., physical, cognitive or emotional) determinants and external (e.g., social or structural) factors need to be considered.

The impact of COVID-19 on social life has been drastic on a global scale. However, the different numbers of cases, and different political actions taken in different countries have led to various interesting yet unexplored effects on human behavior. In the MoMo study, for example, we compared physical activity and recreational screen time of a representative sample of 4- to 17-years-old children and adolescents before and during COVID-19 lockdown 1 (April 2020) and lockdown 2 (March 2021), and after the pandemic (March 2023) in Germany. We observed that sports activity declined whereas recreational screen time increased. However, a substantial increase in habitual physical activities led to a surprising overall increase in physical activity among children and adolescents in Germany during lockdown 1. The effects remained stable after controlling for a multitude of potential influencing factors including sex, age, housing situation, region, weather, and other socioeconomic variables. In contrast to lockdown 1, habitual physical activity decreased significantly in lockdown 2. One may therefore ask, whether there exists a “COVID-19 generation of children and adolescents” characterized by weaknesses in physical fitness, and overweight? After the pandemic, our data provide evidence of recovering trends but with different quantitative and qualitative development aspects. Thus, in a broader sense, challenges from a sports science perspective to support political decisions in different societal domains (e.g., sports, education, public health) can also be discussed based on the MoMo study data.

In addition, to gain a deeper insight in the development of physical activity, fitness and health in the second half of the life span, we conduct a longitudinal study in the city of Bad Schönborn since 1992. The combined cross-sectional and longitudinal design allows - similar to the MoMo-Study - analyses for individual development as well as historical/ time trends analyses among adults aged 35-86 years in six assessment waves (approx. 500 adults/ wave) over a time span of 30 years. The aims of the study are 1) to describe developments in physical activity, fitness and health as well as their determinants in adults, and 2) to use this data to support and inform the design and conduct of health-enhancing physical activity programs for specific target groups.

Finally, in the presentation, some examples for individualized health enhancing physical activity programs that have been developed and evaluated at the IfSS at KIT for different target groups, i.e. children, families, and older adults with and without cognitive impairments will also be presented and discussed.

Link: https://arc.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/public-no-recording

Meeting ID: 695 5824 3230
Passcode: 686093