Health » Physical activity and body mass index: Physical activity and body mass index of school-age children by gender

The number of days during last 7 days when school-age (11, 13, 15 y. o.) children were physically active for at least 60 minutes and their body mass index.

Age groups are formed on the basis of forms 5, 7 and 9. The majority of students of these forms are 11...12, 13...14 or 15...16 years old. However, the research must also include the students who are repeating the year. As a prerequisite, 90% of the students must be of ±6 months the mean age of their age group, the remaining 10% must not be over the mean age of more than 12 months. The specification into age groups of 11, 13 and 15 years is in a way conditional because the cleaned files include also 12, 14 and 16 year old students in a certain amount.

Body mass index (BMI) – is calculated on the basis of the following formula: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2.

Underweight: BMI < 18,0
Normal weight: 18,0 < BMI <24,9
Overweight: 25.0 < BMI <29.9
Obese: BMI < 30

There are very few obese children among students, therefore they are handled as a part of the overweight group.

Physical activities – all activities that accelerate heart beat and make people gasp for a while. Going in for sports, physical activity lessons, playing with friends or walking to school may be considered as physical activities. Other examples of physical activities are also running, fast walk, skateboarding, bicycling, dancing, skating, swimming, playing football or basketball.

Unit: percent

Disaggregated by: academic year, age, physical activity, body mass index, gender

Note: 2005/2006 academic year data is weighted. 2009/2010 academic year data is unweighted, but is representative.

Source: National Institute of Health Development, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)

Age (by year)
Gender (boy/girl) Physical activity and body mass index Academic year 11 13 15 Total
Boys and girls 5-7 days a week 2005/2006 46,6 40 34,6 40
Boys and girls 5-7 days a week 2009/2010 40,5 34,7 30,4 35,2
Boys and girls 5-7 days a week 2013/2014 44,6 39,6 36,2 40,2
Boys and girls 1-4 days a week 2005/2006 50,8 55,8 61,4 56,3
Boys and girls 1-4 days a week 2009/2010 56,5 62,2 65,2 61,3
Boys and girls 1-4 days a week 2013/2014 53,6 56,5 58,7 56,2
Boys and girls Physically inactive (not once) 2005/2006 2,6 4,2 4 3,6
Boys and girls Physically inactive (not once) 2009/2010 3 3,1 4,3 3,5
Boys and girls Physically inactive (not once) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys and girls Underweight (<18.5) 2005/2006 - - - 4,1
Boys and girls Underweight (<18.5) 2009/2010 - - - 3,2
Boys and girls Underweight (<18.5) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys and girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2005/2006 - - - 86,3
Boys and girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2009/2010 - - - 83,2
Boys and girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys and girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2005/2006 - - - 9,6
Boys and girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2009/2010 - - - 13,5
Boys and girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys 5-7 days a week 2005/2006 48,1 48,1 41,2 45,5
Boys 5-7 days a week 2009/2010 41,8 39,9 33,1 38,3
Boys 5-7 days a week 2013/2014 47,6 44,2 42,1 44,6
Boys 1-4 days a week 2005/2006 49,3 47,5 54,9 50,8
Boys 1-4 days a week 2009/2010 54,6 57,5 63 58,3
Boys 1-4 days a week 2013/2014 50,5 52,4 53,3 52,1
Boys Physically inactive (not once) 2005/2006 2,5 4,4 3,9 3,7
Boys Physically inactive (not once) 2009/2010 3,6 2,6 4 3,4
Boys Physically inactive (not once) 2013/2014 1,8 3,4 4,6 3,3
Boys Underweight (<18.5) 2005/2006 3,6 3,3 1,5 2,7
Boys Underweight (<18.5) 2009/2010 1,7 3,2 1,7 2,2
Boys Underweight (<18.5) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2005/2006 83,1 82,1 88,5 84,9
Boys Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2009/2010 79,4 80,2 83,8 81,2
Boys Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2013/2014 - - - -
Boys Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2005/2006 13,3 14,6 10 12,4
Boys Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2009/2010 19 16,5 14,5 16,5
Boys Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2013/2014 - - - -
Girls 5-7 days a week 2005/2006 45,1 31,3 26,9 34,2
Girls 5-7 days a week 2009/2010 39,4 29,7 28,1 32,5
Girls 5-7 days a week 2013/2014 41,8 34,7 30,3 35,8
Girls 1-4 days a week 2005/2006 52,3 64,7 69 62,3
Girls 1-4 days a week 2009/2010 58,1 66,8 67,3 64
Girls 1-4 days a week 2013/2014 56,5 60,8 64,1 60,4
Girls Physically inactive (not once) 2005/2006 2,6 4 4,1 3,6
Girls Physically inactive (not once) 2009/2010 2,4 3,5 4,7 3,5
Girls Physically inactive (not once) 2013/2014 1,7 4,5 5,6 3,9
Girls Underweight (<18.5) 2005/2006 8,7 5,6 3,1 5,7
Girls Underweight (<18.5) 2009/2010 5,9 4,3 2,2 4,1
Girls Underweight (<18.5) 2013/2014 - - - -
Girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2005/2006 82 88,1 92,7 87,8
Girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2009/2010 81,8 84 89 85
Girls Normal weight (18.5-24.9) 2013/2014 - - - -
Girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2005/2006 9,3 6,3 4,2 6,5
Girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2009/2010 12,3 11,7 8,8 10,9
Girls Overweight / obesity (> 25.0) 2013/2014 - - - -