Relative age effect on the physical activity and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old: a cross-sectional study in Japan.

Background: Few studies have shown that relatively younger children and adolescents (those born later in the same school year) were less likely to engage in physical activity in a phenomenon termed the relative age effect. Although these studies mainly targeted elementary and middle school students, no study has reported on the relative age effect on physical activity in ordinary high school students. Moreover, the relative age effect on sedentary behavior might show an opposite association with physical activity.

Neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors moderate the association between physical activity and relative age effect: a cross-sectional survey study with Japanese adolescents.

Background: Relative age effect is defined as a phenomenon where children born early generally perform better than children born later in the same cohort. Physical activity is an important factor that might be influenced by the relative age effect. Socioeconomic factors (e.

Association of Neighborhood Food Environment and Physical Activity Environment With Obesity: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study of Fifth- to Ninth-Grade Children in Japan.

This study examined the relationship between neighborhood food and physical activity environment, and obesity among elementary and junior high school students in Japan. The participants were fifth- to ninth-grade children (n=7277), who were attending municipal schools in Japan. Percent overweight (POW) was calculated using their age, gender, height, and weight, which were collected through a questionnaire.

Total energy expenditure of 10- to 12-year-old Japanese children measured using the doubly labeled water method.

Background: To establish Japanese children's estimated energy requirements, total energy expenditure (TEE) data measured using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method is needed. This study aimed to 1) obtain basic TEE data from Japanese children measured using DLW (TEE), 2) compare TEE with TEE estimated by various estimation formulas to calculate their accuracy, and 3) develop a new equation to estimate TEE using body composition and pedometers.

Methods: TEE was measured using DLW in 56 10- to 12-year-old Japanese children (33 boys, 23 girls).

The effect of the kindergarten barefoot policy on preschool children's toes.

Background: This study compared the effects of barefoot policy, a policy instructing preschool children to go without shoes, on untouched-toes, which do not touch the ground while standing normally, of preschool children attending kindergartens that follow this rule, to preschooler in kindergartens where they must wear shoes, i.e., no-barefoot policy.