Physical Activity Measured with Accelerometer in Children and Youth with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Compared with Peers in Iceland

Abstract

Purpose: To compare physical activity in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and age-matched peers.

Materials and methods: Daily physical activity was measured for seven consecutive days with activPALTM accelerometer in 8–18- year-old children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n=28) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=35). The main variables were daily steps and duration of time in moderate to vigorous physical activity. A mixed model analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis.

Results: The groups were comparable in terms of age, height, weight, body mass index and sex ratio. There was no difference in physical activity between the groups, measured in daily steps (p = 0.83) and duration of time in moderate to vigorous physical activity (p = 0.92). Both groups had lower physical activity at weekends than weekdays (p < 0.001). No interaction was observed between groups and days of the week regarding daily steps (p = 0.89) and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (p = 0.60). Neither group met the current physical activity recommendations.

Conclusion: Physical activity of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Iceland is comparable to age-matched peers without juvenile idiopathic arthritis. There is a need for intervention to increase physical activity in both groups.

Keywords: Children, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), physical activity