NATIONAL

HEALTH BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN:
WHO COLLABORATIVE CROSS-NATIONAL STUDY (HBSC)
2014 SURVEY IN SCOTLAND NATIONAL REPORT
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR
INTRODUCTION
Regular physical activity can improve physical and psychological health, and quality of life 1 . Sedentary behaviour refers
to participation in low energy activities requiring minimal physical movement 2,3 . Levels of sedentary behaviour are not
strongly correlated with how active a young person is. Adolescence is a crucial time to establish an active lifestyle that will
continue into adulthood 4,5 .
Participation in physical activity amongst children and adolescents has been linked to multiple positive health outcomes,
including increased cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health, increased self-esteem and reduced depression and
anxiety 6,7 . Girls generally participate in physical activity less than boys, and physical activity decreases with age for both
genders 8,9 . In addition to gender and age, physical activity participation among adolescents can vary in relation to ethnicity,
previous physical activity, intentions to be active, opportunities to exercise, perceived competence and social support 10,11 .
Sedentary behaviours have a negative effect on health outcomes independent of physical activity 12,13 . Time spent being
sedentary (e.g. watching television or playing computer games) does not necessarily displace time spent engaging in physical
activity 14,15 . Sedentary behaviour is independently associated with higher levels of obesity 15,16 , as well as consumption of
sugary drinks 17 and energy-dense snacks 18 , and poorer mental health 8 .
There is a significant decrease in physical activity from primary to secondary school, which continues throughout secondary
school 19,11 . With regards to sedentary behaviours, watching television for two or more hours a day on weekdays is common
amongst young people in Scotland, as it is for many children and adolescents globally. In Northern and Western Europe,
this behaviour is particularly prevalent in comparatively deprived households 21 .
The Scottish Government has a National strategy, Let’s Make Scotland more Active, to encourage participation in physical
activity 20 . This aims to increase the proportion of young people under 16 meeting the minimum recommended level of
physical activity (one hour of daily moderate activity) to 80% by 2022. The strategy has a particular focus on those deemed
least active, including teenage girls. Moreover, in 2011, increasing physical activity became a Scottish Government National
Indicator and a legacy aspiration of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games 21 .
HBSC FINDINGS
Participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviour are assessed using various measures. Frequency and duration
of vigorous physical activity (outside school hours) have been included in HBSC since 1990. A standardised measure of
moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) 22 has been used since 2002, allowing for analysis of a twelve-year time
trend in the proportion of adolescents meeting current physical activity guidelines. Information on mode of transport to
school and the time taken for this journey are also collected. Screen time is included as an indicator of sedentary behaviour;
TV watching since 2002 and computer use since 2006.
MEETING SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES
In Scotland, 18% of young people take part in MVPA for at least 60 minutes every day. There is a gender difference with 21%
of boys compared to 15% of girls reporting this level of physical activity. Boys are more likely than girls to meet the physical
activity guidelines at all three ages (Figure 7.1). Daily MPVA is more frequent amongst 11-year olds, with a marked decrease
between the ages of 11 and 13, especially among boys.
There was an increase in the proportion of girls meeting physical activity guidelines between 2010 and 2014; from 11%
to 15% (Figure 7.2). The proportion of boys also rose significantly from 19% in 2010 to 21% in 2014. Despite this increase
since 2010, the proportion of boys and girls meeting physical activity guidelines in 2014 has not improved relative to that
in 2002.
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