Gender and seasonal differences in walking, running, and cycling among adolescents: the Norwegian HUNT Study

Background: Despite numerous health benefits associated with physical activity, about 80% of adolescents do not meet the recommended minimum level of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). Engaging in easily accessible activities such as walking and cycling are recommended to increase physical activity; however, little is known about the contribution of common everyday activities to MVPA and total PA (TPA) in adolescents across seasons.
Purpose: To examine the contribution of different walking speeds, running, and cycling to MVPA and TPA in male and female adolescents across seasons.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 5,199 adolescents (mean age 15.9 years, standard deviation [SD] 1.8, range 13-19, 56.6% females) from the Norwegian HUNT study. Participants wore two accelerometers on the thigh and lower back to determine MVPA (defined as moderate/brisk walking [>4.0 km/h], running, and cycling), and TPA (MVPA plus slow walking [≤4.0 km/h]).
Results: Mean MVPA (min/week) across seasons was 300 (IQR 187-383, 42% of TPA) for males and 253 (IQR 159-322, 39% of TPA) for females. Moderate/brisk walking constituted 69-76% of MVPA across seasons. Adolescents aged 13-16 years were more active than adolescents aged 16-19 (mean MVPA 306 min/week [IQR 196-393], versus 234 min/week [IQR 148-298]). Adolescents spent 146 min/week (IQR 83-193) more in MVPA, during summer than winter.
Conclusions: Moderate/brisk walking is the main contributor to MVPA in adolescents. MVPA is considerably lower in the age group 16-19 years compared to 13-16 years. MVPA is higher during summer and lowest during winter and MVPA ’s relative proportion of TPA remains stable throughout adolescence.
Practical implications: Slow walking is the dominant physical activity throughout adolescence. Replacing a proportion of slow walking with moderate or brisk walking might be a possible target for interventions aimed at increasing MVPA.

Funding: NTNU Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (grant no.
81771516).