Effets du statut socioéconomique sur l'activité physique d'enfants prépubères
In order to assess possible influences of socioeconomic status and gender on habitual physical activity (HPA) of prepubertal French children, daily heart rate was 24-hr-monitored in 65 normal subjects for 2 days in the same school week. HPA was evaluated as the mean daily time spent at heart rates greater than 140 bpm (tFC > 140), 160 bpm (tFC > 160), 50% (tFC > 50%), and 70% (tFC > 70%) of the heart rate reserve. An effect of socioeconomic status (determined by questionnaire) was found in boys, with HPA being greater in the underprivileged ones (tFC > 140: 51.8 ± 30.1 vs 33.0 ± 14.1 min, p < .05; tFC > 160: 22.7 ± 16.6 vs 11.1 ± 7.4 min, p < .05; tFC > 50%: 61.4 ± 33.5 vs 46.5 ± 17.1 min, p < .06; tFC > 70%: 20.1 ± 15.2 vs 10.6 ± 7.1, p < .05). Boys were more active than girls, but only in the underprivileged group (tFC > 140: 51.8 ± 30.1 vs 32.8 ± 26.0 min, tFC > 160: 22.7 ± 16.6 vs 9.9 ± 8.2 min, p < .05; tFC > 50%: 61.4 ± 33.5 vs 37.4 ± 23.8 min, p < .05; tFC > 70%: 20.1 ± 15.2 vs 8.1 ± 6.3, p < .05). Cultural factors could be involved in these results. Key words: habitual physical activity, heart rate, heart rate meter, gender, energy expenditure