Results From Chile's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

• Published in: Journal of physical activity & health 2016-11, Vol.13 (11 Suppl 2), p.S117-S123
• Main Authors: Aguilar-Farias, Nicolas, Cortinez-O'Ryan, Andrea, Sadarangani, Kabir P, Von Oetinger, Astrid, Leppe, Jaime, Valladares, Macarena, Balboa-Castillo, Teresa, Cobos, Carolina, Lemus, Nicolas, Walbaum, Magdalena, Cristi-Montero, Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Behavior; Benchmarking; Child; Children & youth; Chile; Consumer Advocacy; Environment Design; Exercise; Female; Health Behavior; Health Promotion - organization & administration; Health Surveys - methods; Humans; Male; Motor Activity; Overweight - prevention & control; Peer Group; Play and Playthings; Program Evaluation - methods; Residence Characteristics; Schools; Sedentary Lifestyle; Sports
• ISSN: 1543-3080; 1543-5474
• DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2016-0314

The 2016 Chilean Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is a review of the evidence across indicators of behaviors, settings, and sources of influence associated with physical activity (PA) of Chilean children and youth. A Research Work Group reviewed available evidence from publications, surveys, government documents and datasets to assign a grade for 11 indicators for PA behavior based on the percentage of compliance for defined benchmarks. Grades were defined as follows: A, 81% to 100% of children accomplishing a given benchmark; B, 61% to 80%; C, 41% to 60%; D, 21% to 40%; F, 0% to 20%; INC, incomplete data available to assign score. Grades assigned were for i) 'Behaviors that contribute to overall PA levels': Overall PA, F; Organized Sport Participation, D; Active Play, INC; and Active Transportation, C-; ii) 'Factors associated with cardiometabolic risk': Sedentary Behavior, D; Overweight and Obesity, F; Fitness, F; and iii) 'Factors that influence PA': Family and Peers, D; School, D; Community and Built Environment, C; Government Strategies and Investments, C. Chile faces a major challenge as most PA indicators scored low. There were clear research and information gaps that need to be filled with the implementation of consistent and regular data collection methods.