International Journal of School Health

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Authorship Rules and Regulations

Indexing and Abstracting

Peer Review Process

Metrics

Forms

Objective Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typically Developing Children: A Gender Study

Document Type : Research Article (s)

Authors

1 Department of Motor Behavior, Sport Sciences Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) patterns and health-related physical fitness (HRPF) among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly with emphasis on gender differences are less examined. The present study aimed to objectively assess the PA and HRPF of children with ASD and to compare these findings with those of typically developing (TD) children, with a particular focus on gender differences.
Method: This descriptive-correlational study was done in Tehran, Iran in 2023. We selected 76 students with ASD (35 girls, Mage=13.63±2.14) and 85 TD children (40 girls, Mage=13.47±2.04) as the study sample through the convenience sampling method. PA and HRPF were assessed using an accelerometer and the Brockport Physical Fitness Test, respectively. Independent t-tests and linear regressions were used to analyze data through SPSS version 26.
Results: The ASD group engaged significantly in fewer daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) than the TD group (39.93±13.60 vs. 46.87±11.70 minutes per day, respectively, P=0.013). Boys in both ASD and TD groups exhibited significantly higher PA and HRPF as compared with girls (P<0.001 and P=0.040, respectively). As expected, MVPA was correlated with physical fitness in ASD (r=0.298, P<0.001) and TD groups (r=0.432, P<0.001) indicating that participants with higher MVPA were more physically fit.
Conclusions: The results emphasized the need of targeted strategies and offerings geared to children and adolescents with ASD to promote an adequate level of PA and health-related physical fitness. Developing specific strategies for children with ASD is vital to promote proper PA and HRPF.

Highlights

Amin Gholami: (Google Scholar)

Maryam Abdoshahi: (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References
  1. Reilly JJ, Aubert S, Brazo-Sayavera J, Liu Y, Cagas JY, Tremblay MS. Surveillance to improve physical activity of children and adolescents. Bull World Health Organ. 2022;100(12):815-824. doi: 10.2471/BLT.22.288569. PubMed PMID: 36466205; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9706360. ##
  2. Michel J, Bernier A, Thompson LA. Physical Activity in Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2022;176(6):622. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.0477. PubMed PMID: 35467714. ##
  3. Alves JGB, Alves GV. Effects of physical activity on children's growth. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2019;95 Suppl 1:72-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jped.2018.11.003. PubMed PMID: 30593790. ##
  4. Neil-Sztramko SE, Caldwell H, Dobbins M. School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;9(9):CD007651. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007651.pub3. PubMed PMID: 34555181; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8459921. ##
  5. Pate RR, Hillman CH, Janz KF, Katzmarzyk PT, Powell KE, Torres A, et al. Physical Activity and Health in Children Younger than 6 Years: A Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1282-1291. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001940. PubMed PMID: 31095085; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6527328. ##
  6. van Sluijs EMF, Ekelund U, Crochemore-Silva I, Guthold R, Ha A, Lubans D, et al. Physical activity behaviours in adolescence: current evidence and opportunities for intervention. Lancet. 2021;398(10298):429-442. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01259-9. PubMed PMID: 34302767; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7612669. ##
  7. Finger JD, Varnaccia G, Borrmann A, Lange C, Mensink GBM. Physical activity among children and adolescents in Germany. Results of the cross-sectional KiGGS Wave 2 study and trends. J Health Monit. 2018;3(1):23-30. doi: 10.17886/RKI-GBE-2018-023.2. doi: 10.17886/RKI-GBE-2018-023.2. PubMed PMID: 35586180; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8848914. ##
  8. Marker AM, Steele RG, Noser AE. Physical activity and health-related quality of life in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychol. 2018;37(10):893-903. doi: 10.1037/hea0000653. PubMed PMID: 30234348. ##
  9. Parrish AM, Tremblay MS, Carson S, Veldman SLC, Cliff D, Vella S, et al. Comparing and assessing physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a systematic literature review and analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020;17(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-0914-2. PubMed PMID: 32041635; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7011603. ##
  10. Mughal S, Faizy RM, Saadabadi A. Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. PubMed PMID: 30247851. ##
  11. Hirota T, King BH. Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review. JAMA. 2023;329(2):157-168. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.23661. PubMed PMID: 36625807. ##
  12. Lord C, Brugha TS, Charman T, Cusack J, Dumas G, Frazier T, et al. Autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020;6(1):5. doi: 10.1038/s41572-019-0138-4. PubMed PMID: 31949163; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8900942. ##
  13. Sharma SR, Gonda X, Tarazi FI. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Classification, diagnosis and therapy. Pharmacol Ther. 2018;190:91-104. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.05.007. PubMed PMID: 29763648. ##
  14. Hodges H, Fealko C, Soares N. Autism spectrum disorder: definition, epidemiology, causes, and clinical evaluation. Transl Pediatr. 2020;9(Suppl 1):S55-S65. doi: 10.21037/tp.2019.09.09. PubMed PMID: 32206584; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7082249. ##
  15. Jachyra P, Renwick R, Gladstone B, Anagnostou E, Gibson BE. Physical activity participation among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism. 2021;25(3):613-626. doi: 10.1177/1362361320949344. PubMed PMID: 32921151. ##
  16. Monteiro CE, Da Silva E, Sodré R, Costa F, Trindade AS, Bunn P, et al. The Effect of Physical Activity on Motor Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(21):14081. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114081. PubMed PMID: 36360956; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9655847. ##
  17. Nichols C, Block ME, Bishop JC, McIntire B. Physical activity in young adults with autism spectrum disorder: Parental perceptions of barriers and facilitators. Autism. 2019;23(6):1398-1407. doi: 10.1177/1362361318810221. PubMed PMID: 30486668. ##
  18. Gehricke JG, Chan J, Farmer JG, Fenning RM, Steinberg-Epstein R, Misra M, et al. Physical activity rates in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder compared to the general population. Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2020;70:101490. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101490. PubMed PMID: 32322297; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7176323. ##
  19. Arkesteyn A, Van Damme T, Thoen A, Cornelissen V, Healy S, Vancampfort D. Physical activity correlates in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2022;44(22):6539-6550. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1970251. PubMed PMID: 34455885. ##
  20. Zhong T, Liu H, Li Y, Qi J. Correlates of Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Cross-Sectional Studies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(23):16301. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316301. PubMed PMID: 36498374; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9738504. ##
  21. Kandola A, Ashdown-Franks G, Hendrikse J, Sabiston CM, Stubbs B. Physical activity and depression: Towards understanding the antidepressant mechanisms of physical activity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;107:525-539. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.040. PubMed PMID: 31586447. ##
  22. Sefen JAN, Al-Salmi S, Shaikh Z, AlMulhem JT, Rajab E, Fredericks S. Beneficial Use and Potential Effectiveness of Physical Activity in Managing Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci. 2020;14:587560. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.587560. PubMed PMID: 33192368; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7642468. ##
  23. Pan CY, Chu CH, Tsai CL, Sung MC, Huang CY, Ma WY. The impacts of physical activity intervention on physical and cognitive outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism. 2017;21(2):190-202. doi: 10.1177/1362361316633562. PubMed PMID: 27056845. ##
  24. Pan CY, Tsai CL, Chen FC, Chow BC, Chen CC, Chu CH. Physical and Sedentary Activity Patterns in Youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1739. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041739. PubMed PMID: 33670129; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7916824. ##
  25. Liang X, Li R, Wong SHS, Sum RKW, Sit CHP. Accelerometer-measured physical activity levels in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Prev Med Rep. 2020;19:101147. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101147. PubMed PMID: 32637302; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7327848. ##
  26. Li R, Liang X, Zhou Y, Ren Z. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Levels in Children and Adolescents With and Without ASD in Inclusive Schools. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:726942. doi: 10.3389/fped.2021.726942. PubMed PMID: 34722420; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8549567. ##
  27. Toscano CVA, Ferreira JP, Quinaud RT, Silva KMN, Carvalho HM, Gaspar JM. Exercise improves the social and behavioral skills of children and adolescent with autism spectrum disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:1027799. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1027799. PubMed PMID: 36620673; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9813515. ##
  28. Jackson SLJ, Abel EA, Reimer S, McPartland JC. Brief Report: A Specialized Fitness Program for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Benefits Physical, Behavioral, and Emotional Outcomes. J Autism Dev Disord. 2024;54(6):2402-2410. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05646-4. PubMed PMID: 35821544. ##
  29. Cuesta-Gómez JL, De la Fuente-Anuncibay R R, Vidriales-Fernández R, Ortega-Camarero MT. The quality of life of people with ASD through physical activity and sports. Heliyon. 2022;8(3):e09193. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09193. PubMed PMID: 35368544; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8966138. ##
  30. Craig DW. Examining the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders - A systematic review. J Prev Interv Community. 2022;50(1):104-115. doi: 10.1080/10852352.2021.1915939. PubMed PMID: 34520698. ##
  31. Hillier A, Buckingham A, Schena 2nd D. Physical Activity Among Adults With Autism: Participation, Attitudes, and Barriers. Percept Mot Skills. 2020;127(5):874-890. doi: 10.1177/0031512520927560. PubMed PMID: 32443953. ##
  32. Ferreira JP, Andrade Toscano CV, Rodrigues AM, Furtado GE, Barros MG, Wanderley RS, et al. Effects of a Physical Exercise Program (PEP-Aut) on Autistic Children's Stereotyped Behavior, Metabolic and Physical Activity Profiles, Physical Fitness, and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Study Protocol. Front Public Health. 2018;6:47. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00047. PubMed PMID: 29552551; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5840149. ##
  33. Haghighi AH, Broughani S, Askari R, Shahrabadi H, Souza D, Gentil P. Combined Physical Training Strategies Improve Physical Fitness, Behavior, and Social Skills of Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023;53(11):4271-4279. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05731-8. PubMed PMID: 36083392. ##
  34. Belaiba M, Laatar R, Borji R, Ben Salem A, Sahli S, Rebai H. Time Limited Benefits of Physical and Proprioceptive Training on Physical Fitness Components in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Percept Mot Skills. 2024;131(3):785-804. doi: 10.1177/00315125241244484. PubMed PMID: 38565219. ##
  35. Coffey C, Sheehan D, Faigenbaum AD, Healy S, Lloyd RS, Kinsella S. Comparison of fitness levels between elementary school children with autism spectrum disorder and age-matched neurotypically developing children. Autism Res. 2021;14(9):2038-2046. doi: 10.1002/aur.2559. PubMed PMID: 34155824. ##
  36. Vanwoerden S, Stepp SD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, alternative model conceptualization of borderline personality disorder: A review of the evidence. Personal Disord. 2022;13(4):402-406. doi: 10.1037/per0000563. PubMed PMID: 35787130; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9558039. ##
  37. Migueles JH, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Ekelund U, Delisle Nyström C, Mora-Gonzalez J, Löf M, et al. Accelerometer Data Collection and Processing Criteria to Assess Physical Activity and Other Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Practical Considerations. Sports Med. 2017;47(9):1821-1845. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0716-0. PubMed PMID: 28303543; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6231536. ##
  38. Weber A, van Hees VT, Stein MJ, Gastell S, Steindorf K, Herbolsheimer F, et al. Large-scale assessment of physical activity in a population using high-resolution hip-worn accelerometry: the German National Cohort (NAKO). Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):7927. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-58461-5. PubMed PMID: 38575636; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10995156. ##
  39. Manojlovic M, Roklicer R, Trivic T, Milic R, Maksimović N, Tabakov R, et al. Effects of school-based physical activity interventions on physical fitness and cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents with disabilities: a systematic review. Front Physiol. 2023;14:1180639. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1180639. PubMed PMID: 37362446; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10289231. ##
  40. Ishii K, Shibata A, Adachi M, Nonoue K, Oka K. Gender and grade differences in objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns among Japanese children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:1254. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-2607-3. PubMed PMID: 26679503; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4683705. ##
International Journal of School Health
Volume 12, Issue 1 - Serial Number 44
January 2025
Pages 42-52
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics