Exercise in social context contributes to a favourable outcome in fatigued children and adolescents.

Children might develop a healthy lifestyle by physical exercise in sports and—typically Dutch—in regular cycling to school. The effects of exercise, however, on fatigue are not without debate. In adults, both little1 and much2 physical exercise have proven to be a risk factor for the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. The aim of this study in fatigued youngsters was to investigate the influence of club-based and self-regulated sports activities and regular cycling in the period preceding fatigue on the persistence of fatigue. Ninety-one patients (8–18 years) with ongoing fatigue referred to a general paediatrician have been included and followed during 1 year. At baseline, fatigue and activity were measured with the subjective subscale scores of the validated Dutch version of the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-20)3; school absenteeism in the last month by dividing …