Based on 88 eligible observational studies , level of evidence grading and quantitative meta-analyses indicated that there is limited available evidence that the total volume or patterns of sedentary behaviour are associated with health in children and adolescents when accounting for moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity or focusing on studies with low risk of bias .
Quality evidence from studies with robust design s and methods , objective measures of sitting , examining associations for various health outcomes , is needed to better underst and if the overall volume or patterns of sedentary behaviour are independent determinants of health in children and adolescents
Sedentary behaviour has emerged as a unique determinant of health in adults .
Studies in children and adolescents have been less consistent .
We review ed the evidence to determine if the total volume and patterns ( i.e. breaks and bouts ) of objective ly measured sedentary  behaviour  were associated with adverse health outcomes in young people , independent of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity .
Cross-sectional and prospective associations between moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time with adiposity in children
Background : Physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary time ( SED ) have both been suggested as potential risk factors for adiposity in children . However , there is paucity of data examining the temporal associations between these variables . Objective : This study aim ed to analyze the cross-sectional and prospect i ve associations between PA , SED and body composition in children . Methods : A total of 510 children ( age at baseline 10.1±0.8 , age at follow-up 11.8±0.9 ) from six Portuguese schools from the Oeiras Municipality participated in this study .  PA and SED were measured by accelerometry and trunk fat mass ( TFM ) and body fat mass ( BFM )  were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry .  Fat mass index ( FMI ) was calculated as BFM divided by height squared . Several regression models adjusted for age , sex , maturity status , follow-up duration , baseline levels of the outcome variable and SED or moderate to vigorous PA ( MVPA ) were performed . Results : MVPA ( min per day ) was cross-sectionally inversely associated with adiposity indexes ( FMI , TFM and BFM ) . Adiposity indexes were inversely associated with time in MVPA . In prospect i ve analyses , MVPA was associated with a lower levels of FMI ( β=−0.37 , 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : −0.49 to −0.26 , P<0.001 ) , TFM ( β=−0.20 , 95 % CI : −0.29 to −0.10 , P<0.001 ) and BFM ( β=−0.37 , 95 % CI : −0.49 to −0.26 , P<0.001 ) . When the model was adjusted for age , sex , maturity status and for baseline levels of the outcome variables MVPA remained a significant predictor of lower adiposity indexes ( FMI : β=−0.09 , 95 % CI : −0.16 to −0.01 , P<0.05 ; TFM : β=−0.08 , 95 % CI : −0.15 to −0.01 , P<0.05 ; BFM : β=−0.07 , 95 % CI : −0.15 to 0.00 , P<0.05 ) . Adiposity was not associated  with MVPA when modeled as the exposure in prospect i ve analyses . SED was not related with adiposity indexes , except for the relationship with FMI . Conclusions : In cross-sectional and prospect i ve analyses , MVPA is associated with lower adiposity independent of covariates and SED . Results suggest that promoting MVPA is important for preventing gain in adiposity in healthy children
Based on 88 eligible observational studies , level of evidence grading and quantitative meta-analyses indicated that there is limited available evidence that the total volume or patterns of sedentary behaviour are associated with health in children and adolescents when accounting for moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity or focusing on studies with low risk of bias .
Quality evidence from studies with robust design s and methods , objective measures of sitting , examining associations for various health outcomes , is needed to better underst and if the overall volume or patterns of sedentary behaviour are independent determinants of health in children and adolescents
Sedentary behaviour has emerged as a unique determinant of health in adults .
Studies in children and adolescents have been less consistent .
We review ed the evidence to determine if the total volume and patterns ( i.e. breaks and bouts ) of objective ly measured sedentary  behaviour  were associated with adverse health outcomes in young people , independent of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity .