Temperament and longitudinal changes in physical activity - the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient physical activity is risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality. This population-based birth cohort study investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between self-reported temperament at age 31 and self-reported leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels and changes thereof from the age of 31 to the age of 46 years. METHODS: The study population comprised 3,084 subjects (1,359 male and 1,725 female) from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. MVPA was self-reported at ages 31 and 46 years. Novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence and their subscales were measured using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory at age 31. Four temperament clusters were used in the analyses: persistent, overactive, dependent, and passive. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between temperament and MVPA. RESULTS: The persistent and overactive temperament profiles at age 31 were positively associated with higher MVPA levels both in young adulthood and in midlife, while the passive and dependent temperament profiles were associated with lower MVPA levels. The overactive temperament profile was associated with a decrease in MVPA levels from young adulthood to midlife among males. CONCLUSION: A passive temperament profile characterized by high harm avoidance is associated with a higher risk of low MVPA level than other temperament profiles over the life cycle in females. The results suggest that temperament may play a role in determining the level and sustainability of MVPA. Individual targeting and intervention tailoring for promoting physical activity should consider temperament traits.

Infant motor development and physical activity and sedentary time at midlife.

This study investigated whether the timing of infant motor development is associated with self-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in midlife. This population-based study consisted of 4098 people born in 1966 in Northern Finland (NFBC 1966). Data on nine infant motor developmental milestones included making sounds, holding up the head, grabbing objects, turning from back to tummy, sitting without support, standing with support, walking with support, standing without support, and walking without support. At the age of 46, PA at leisure time and sitting time was self-reported. PA and ST were also measured with a wrist-worn Polar Active accelerometer that was instructed to be worn on the non-dominant hand 24 h/d for 14 days. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the association between infant motor development and PA and ST in midlife. Later infant motor development was weakly associated with higher accelerometer-measured light PA, but not with moderate-to-vigorous PA. Later infant locomotor development was associated with lower accelerometer-measured ST (ß -0.07, p = 0.012) and lower self-reported sitting time at work (ß -0.06, p = 0.004) in women. In conclusion, later infant motor development was associated with higher light PA and lower sedentary time at middle age. PA is a multifactorial behavior influenced by various factors from early childhood to midlife. Further research is required before more general conclusions can be drawn.

Physical activity and fitness in 8-year-old overweight and normal weight children and their parents.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the physical fitness and physical activity of 8-year-old overweight children (n = 53) to normal weight children (n = 65), and to determine whether a significant relationship exists between physical activity of parents and their children. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 119 children from Northern Finland were recruited for the study. Waist circumference, height, weight and BMI were measured. Physical activity of the children and their parents was determined with self-administered 7-day recall questionnaires (PAQ-C). Physical fitness of the children was evaluated with 7 items of the EUROFIT-test battery (flamingo balance test, plate tapping, sit-and-reach test, sit-ups, bent arm hang and 10×5 shuttle run). Aerobic capacity of the children was tested with 6-minute walking test. RESULTS: Overweigh was related to impaired performance in tests requiring muscle endurance, balance, explosive power of lower extremities, upper body strength and endurance, speed and agility in both genders and aerobic capacity in boys. Physical activity levels of overweight boys (2.41 SD 0.72) were lower than their lean counterparts (2.91 SD 0.64, p = 0.004); no such difference was observed in girls (2.53 SD 0.64 vs. 2.59 SD 0.68, p = 0.741). Physical activity was significantly associated with better performance in several physical fitness tests in boys, but not in girls. Mothers' physical activity was associated with children's physical activity (r = 0.363, p < 0.001), but no such association was found between fathers and children (r = 0.019, p = 0.864). CONCLUSION: This study shows an inverse relationship between excess bodyweight and physical fitness in children. Mother-child relationship of physical activity appeared to be stronger than father-child relationship. Improving physical fitness in children through physical activity might require interventions that are responsive to the ability and needs of overweight children and their families and focus on helping parents and children to be physically active together.