Do Intervention Studies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Children and Adolescents Take Sex/Gender Into Account? A Systematic Review

Schlund, Annegret; Reimers, Anne K.; Bucksch, Jens; Brindley, Catherina; Schulze, Carolin; Puil, Lorri; Coen, Stephanie E.; Phillips, Susan P.; Knapp, Guido; Demetriou, Yolanda

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity is often reported in youth and differs among boys and girls. The aim of this study is to assess sex/gender considerations in intervention studies promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in youth using a sex/gender checklist. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in August 2018 to identify all relevant controlled trials. Studies screened must have reported a quantified measure of physical activity and/or sedentary behavior, and identified participants by sex/gender at baseline. For evaluation of the sex/gender consideration, the authors used a sex/gender checklist developed by expert consensus. Results: The authors reviewed sex/gender considerations in all aspects of intervention development, implementation, and evaluation in 217 studies. Sex/gender aspects were only rudimentarily taken into account, most frequently during statistical analyses, such as stratification or interaction analysis. Conclusions: Sex/gender effects are not sufficiently reported. To develop guidelines that are more inclusive of all girls and boys, future interventions need to document sex/gender differences and similarities, and explore whether sex/gender influences different phases of intervention programs. The newly developed sex/gender checklist can hereby be used as a tool and guidance to adequately consider sex/gender in the several steps of intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Citation

Schlund, A., Reimers, A. K., Bucksch, J., Brindley, C., Schulze, C., Puil, L., …Demetriou, Y. (2021). Do Intervention Studies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Children and Adolescents Take Sex/Gender Into Account? A Systematic Review. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(4), 461-468. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0666

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 15, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Apr 1, 2021
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Mar 7, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 18, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Physical Activity and Health
• Print ISSN: 1543-3080
• Electronic ISSN: 1543-5474
• Publisher: Human Kinetics
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 461-468
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0666
• Keywords: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5380365
• Publisher URL: https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/aop/article-10.1123-jpah.2020-0666/article-10.1123-jpah.2020-0666.xml
• Additional Information: Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2021, 18, 4: 461-468 https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0666. © Human Kinetics, Inc.