activPAL-measured sitting levels and patterns in 9-10 years old children from a UK city

Background: There is insufficient evidence of sitting time in UK children from validated objective measures. This study explored sitting patterns in primary school children from Bradford, UK, using the validated activPAL inclinometer. Methods: Overall, 79 children (9.8 (SD 0.3) years old, 52% boys; 70% South Asian) wore activPALs for 7 days. Total sitting time, sitting time accumulated in different bout lengths, and the proportion of wear time spent in these variables were explored and compared across different periods of the week. Results: Children spent 614 ± 112 (median ± IQR) min/day on school days and 690 ± 150 min/day on weekend days sitting. The proportion of time spent sitting was significantly higher on weekend days compared to school days (mean±SD: 74 ± 10% versus 68 ± 8%,P 30 min sitting bouts (mean±CI: 28 ± 27-33% versus 20 ± 20-22%, P 30 min) sitting bouts (mean±CI: 19 ± 16-22% versus 11 ± 10-14%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Children spent large proportions of their waking day sitting, often accumulated in prolonged uninterrupted bouts and particularly after school and on weekends. Interventions to reduce sitting time in children are urgently needed.