Physical activity patterns defined by continuous heart rate monitoring
Article Abstract:
One currently accepted guideline for exercise in children recommends that children should engage in activities which lead to dynamic movement of the large muscle groups for 20 minutes or longer, three times a week at least, so that heart rates of at least 140 beats per minute are reached. Another guideline recommends exercise that brings heart rate up to 160 beats per minute. Exercise at these intensities is associated with a low level of coronary artery disease in adults. However, it is not known whether school-aged children regularly attain this degree of physical activity. It is generally difficult to accurately measure activity levels in children by most techniques that are available. To better assess exercise levels in children, lightweight telemetry systems which monitor heart rate were used to study 132 children (65 female) for 12-hour periods during three school days, and 39 children were studied on a Saturday. Boys and girls had heart rates above 139 beats per minute for 8.2 to 9.4 percent of study periods during weekdays and 5.2 to 6.0 percent of the study time on Saturdays. Boys had a heart rate above 159 beats/minute significantly more often than did girls during weekdays but not on Saturdays. The duration of periods with elevated heart rate and the frequency of these periods were analyzed. Boys had significantly more five-minute periods with heart rate over 159 beats/minute. Few children had daily periods with heart rates elevated for at least 20 minutes, showing that sustained physical activity is not characteristic of children's habits. The number of 10-minute periods of elevated heart rate were similarly limited, while five-minute periods were relatively common. These results are similar to those from other studies. The study suggests that more research is needed regarding the effects of short periods of intense activity on cardiovascular health in children. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: Archives of Disease in Childhood
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-9888
Year: 1991
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Administration of 25,000 vitamin A doses at routine immunisation in young infants
Article Abstract:
Vitamin A supplementation has been resorted to by doctors in many developing countries to counter the adverse effects of vitamin A deficiency on infants. These countries have launched aggressive vitamin A supplementation programs for children 6 months to 6 years of age. However, the coverage of these programs is not as successful as that of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), which has so far been doing well in Bangladesh. To remedy this problem, it was suggested that supplementation programs coincide with the EPI.
Publication Name: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0954-3007
Year: 1995
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