Increasing Global Research Capacity in Physical Activity for Children and Youth

ABSTRACT Physical activity is associated with improved health status in children and youth. However, a large proportion of the world's children are currently not physically active, and children in countries undergoing epidemiological transition may be vulnerable to decreasing physical activity levels. Thus, a research priority is the development of effective interventions that can be adapted and deployed in low, middle and high income countries. Given that most current research evidence is from studies conducted in high income countries, further work is required to understand the determinants and correlates of physical activity among children across low and middle income countries. This will require investments in large multi-national studies and in developing research infrastructure and capacity in regions of the world that have not yet conducted physical activity research