Levels of moderate--vigorous physical activity are low in Spanish children with cystic fibrosis: a comparison with healthy controls

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is recommended as part of the treatment regimen for cystic fibrosis (CF) although objective methods have been scarcely used to monitor achievement of PA guidelines.

Methods: PA was measured by accelerometer in outpatient CF children (n=47) and results were compared with those obtained in age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n=39).

Results: 2.1% of the outpatients fulfilled PA guidelines (i.e. ≥60min·day(-1) of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA)) vs. 34.2% of controls. Overall, lower MVPA levels were observed in CF patients than controls despite the former undergoing more light or total PA. Peak oxygen uptake was also lower in the CF group than in controls (37.5±7.8 vs. 43.5±7.6ml·kg(-1)·min(-1), p=0.002) and was correlated with MVPA and vigorous PA in the former.

Conclusions: These findings support a need to promote PA interventions (including MVPA) targeted at improving cardiorespiratory fitness in CF children.

Keywords: Cardiorespiratory fitness; Guidelines; Physical activity.