The prevalence of chronic pain in children and adolescents: a systematic review update and meta-analysis.

Chronic pain, defined as persistent or recurring pain or pain lasting longer than 3 months, is a common childhood problem. The objective of this study was to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of chronic pain (ie, overall, headache, abdominal pain, back pain, musculoskeletal pain, multisite/general pain, and other) in children and adolescents. EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched for publications between January 1, 2009, and June 30, 2023.

Physical Activity Trajectories in Early Childhood: Investigating Personal, Environmental, and Participation Factors.

Introduction/purpose: To determine personal, environmental, and participation factors that predict children's physical activity (PA) trajectories from preschool through to school years.

Methods: Two hundred seventy-nine children (4.5 ± 0.

Preschool to School-Age Physical Activity Trajectories and School-Age Physical Literacy: A Longitudinal Analysis.

Purpose: The associations between longitudinal physical activity (PA) patterns across childhood and physical literacy have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to identify PA trajectories from preschool to school-age, and to determine if trajectory group membership was associated with school-age physical literacy.

Methods: Participants (n = 279, 4.

Motor Competence, Physical Activity, and Fitness across Early Childhood.

Objectives: To examine if the associations between motor competence and physical activity and musculoskeletal fitness change over time, whether motor competence is associated with longitudinal trajectories of physical activity and fitness, and mediating pathways among these constructs across early childhood.

Methods: Four hundred and eighteen children 3 to 5 yr of age (210 boys; age, 4.5 ± 1.

Retrograde shift in carotid artery longitudinal wall motion after one-year follow-up in children.

Background And Aims: Cross-sectional studies suggest that arterial stiffness increases during childhood; however, this evidence stems from pressure-dependent arterial distension, while longitudinal movement of the arterial wall has not been explored. Carotid artery longitudinal wall motion (CALM) has been identified as a novel biomarker of vascular health in adults and may provide complementary biaxial wall information to vascular changes during childhood development. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to assess how CALM changes and tracks over a one-year period in young children.

Associations between carotid artery longitudinal wall motion and arterial stiffness indicators in young children.

Background And Aims: Carotid artery longitudinal wall motion (CALM) is associated with established indicators of arterial stiffness in healthy adults and in adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors. CALM assessment may be more feasible for incorporation into routine clinical examination than traditional assessments of arterial stiffness; however, the relationship between CALM and arterial stiffness in children has not been established.

Methods: Data were collected from a subset of children participating in the Health Outcomes and Physical activity in Preschoolers study.

Physical Activity and Trajectories of Cardiovascular Health Indicators During Early Childhood.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease prevention should begin in childhood. However, the influence of physical activity on cardiovascular health in early childhood is unknown. Our purpose in this study was to determine the effect of physical activity on trajectories of cardiovascular health indicators during early childhood.

Automated ultrasound edge-tracking software comparable to established semi-automated reference software for carotid intima-media thickness analysis.

Many commercial ultrasound systems are now including automated analysis packages for the determination of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT); however, details regarding their algorithms and methodology are not published. Few studies have compared their accuracy and reliability with previously established automated software, and those that have were in asymptomatic adults. Therefore, this study compared cIMT measures from a fully automated ultrasound edge-tracking software (EchoPAC PC, Version 110.

Validity of field assessments to predict peak muscle power in preschoolers.

Field-based fitness assessments are time- and cost-efficient. However, no studies to date have reported the predictive value of field-based musculoskeletal fitness assessments in preschoolers. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of 2 field assessments to predict peak muscle power in preschool-aged children.

Tracking of physical activity and fitness during the early years.

The early years are characterized by rapid physical growth and the development of behaviours such as physical activity. The objectives of this study were to assess the 12-month changes in and the tracking of physical activity and fitness in 400 preschoolers (201 boys, 4.5 ± 0.

Comparing the Actical and ActiGraph Approach to Measuring Young Children's Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Time.

Young children's activity and sedentary time were simultaneously measured via the Actical method (i.e., Actical accelerometer and specific cut-points) and the ActiGraph method (i.

Sedentary Time and Screen-Based Sedentary Behaviors of Children With a Chronic Disease.

The objectives of this study were to (i) assess sedentary time and prevalence of screen-based sedentary behaviors of children with a chronic disease and (ii) compare sedentary time and prevalence of screen-based sedentary behaviors to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Sixty-five children (aged 6-18 years) with a chronic disease participated: survivors of a brain tumor, hemophilia, type 1 diabetes mellitus, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease. Twenty-nine of these participants were compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Step count targets corresponding to new physical activity guidelines for the early years.

Purpose: New physical activity guidelines recommend that children age 3–4 yr should accumulate at least 180 min of physical activity at any intensity spread throughout the day, including progression toward at least 60 min of energetic play by 5 yr of age. Step count targets corresponding to these recommendations will help practitioners and researchers monitor physical activity.

Methods: One hundred thirty-three preschoolers were instructed to wear accelerometers for seven consecutive days.

The health outcomes and physical activity in preschoolers (HOPP) study: rationale and design.

Background: The early years are the period of growth for which we know the least about the impact of physical activity. In contrast, we know that more than 90 % of school-aged Canadian children, for example, are not meeting physical activity recommendations. Such an activity crisis is a major contributor to recent trends in childhood obesity, to which preschoolers are not immune.

Short-term muscle power and speed in preschoolers exhibit stronger tracking than physical activity.

The purpose of this study was to examine the tracking of short-term muscle power, speed, and physical activity over a 15-month period in a sample of healthy Canadian preschool-aged children. Seventeen preschoolers (age, 4.4 ± 0.

Noninvasive measures of vascular health are reliable in preschool-aged children.

Measures of vascular health are known to be important predictors of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The reliability of commonly used measures of vascular health has been demonstrated in school-aged children, adolescents, and adults; however, their reliability in preschool-aged children remains to be determined. Twenty 2- to 6-year-old children participated in 2 identical testing sessions on different days.