Males more physically active at all ages

Females – young and old – are generally less physically active than their male counterparts, according to results of two studies presented earlier this month during the annual meeting of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine at the University of Exeter.

In one study, researchers gauged the level of physical activity and its relationship with play and social behaviour in 52 boys and 82 girls, ages 10 to 11 years old in eight elementary schools in the UK.

Dr Nicola Ridgers of Liverpool John Moores University and colleagues found that boys engaged in 8.7 per cent more moderate-to-vigorous and six per cent more vigorous physical activity than girls during playtime.

Differences in how girls and boys congregate at recess and spend their playtime help explain these findings, Dr Ridgers said. “Girls tend to spend time in smaller groups (two to four children) and engage in verbal games, conversation and socialising, possibly highlighting why they are less active,” she explained.

In contrast, boys tend to play in larger groups (10 children or more), which lend themselves more to physically active games like football.

“Schools,” she advises, “should be aware of the differences in boys and girls’ playtime behaviour, and ensure that the provision of activity equipment and activities is sufficient to encourage girls and children who play in smaller groups to become more physically active.”

Males tend to be more physically active in their later years as well, according to data from the Older People and Active Living, or OPAL, Project.

In a statement from the conference, project leader Dr Ken Fox of University of Bristol (UK) said: “We are observing very low levels of activity among most people over 70. More than 70 per cent of the people involved in the research take fewer than 5,000 steps a day, for example, and women are more likely to be less active than men.”

“Society and our environment,” added Dr Adrian Taylor, of the School of Sport and Health Sciences at University of Exeter, “are leading us to do increasingly less physical activity with adverse health consequences such as heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems for people of all ages.”

“Studies like these are helping us to understand how physically active the UK population really is, which can then be used to inform how best to promote greater physical activity across all age groups,” Dr Taylor said.

Reuters Health