Results From Japan’s 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
List of Authors:
Chiaki Tanaka, Shigeho Tanaka, Shigeru Inoue, Motohiko Miyachi, Koya Suzuki, Takafumi Abe, and John J. Reilly
Affiliation
C Tanaka is with the Division of Integrated Sciences, J. F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan. S Tanaka is with the Dept of Nutrition and Metabolism, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan. Inoue is with the Dept of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. Miyachi is with the Dept of Physical Activity Research, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan. Suzuki is with the Dept of Sports Science, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan. Abe is with Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan. Reilly is with the Physical Activity for Health Group, School of Psychological, Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. C Tanaka (c-tanaka@obirin.ac.jp) is corresponding author.
Abstract
Introduction: The momentum to promote physical activity (PA) by various government agencies such as the Japan Sports Agency established in 2015, academic organizations, companies is increasing towards the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The goal of the 2018 Japan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is to assess and track levels of health behavior related to PA in Japanese children and youth, facilitators and barriers for PA, and related health outcomes.
Methods: Nationally representative data were used to score the respective indicators. We used mainly 2 surveys: 1) Annual Report of National Survey on Physical Fitness, Athletic Performance, and Exercise Habits of the Japan Sports Agency using a questionnaire in children and adolescents; 2) Annual Report of Physical Fitness Survey of the Japan Sports Agency using a questionnaire and measuring physical fitness in children and adolescents.
Results:
Indicator |
Grade |
Overall Physical Activity |
INC |
Organized Sport Participation |
B- |
Active Play |
INC |
Active Transportation |
A- |
Sedentary Behaviours |
C- |
Physical Fitness |
A |
Weight Status |
A |
Family and Peers |
C- |
School |
B+ |
Community and Environment |
B- |
Government |
B |
The key four health behaviors and outcomes (Organized Sport Participation, Active Transportation, Physical fitness and Weight status) were favorable. Sedentary Behavior received C- grade, while 2 indicators (Overall Physical Activity, and Active Play) could not be graded. In the Influences domain, Family Influence and Community were graded as C-, while other 3 indicators were favorable.
Conclusions/recommendations: The 2018 Japan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth shows that Japanese children and youth have favorable levels of organized sport participation, active transportation to and from school, and physical fitness and weight status. Future nationally representative surveys on overall PA and active play are needed.