Results from the Singapore 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents

Abstract

Background: While it has been established that physical activity (PA) is key to promote overall health and well-being, insufficient physical activity among children and adolescents is a global problem, including Singapore. It is important to understand the local PA landscape among children and adolescents to decrease surveillance gaps and identify areas for improvement in promoting PA. The present article provides an overview of the development of the 2022 Active Healthy Kids Singapore Report Card and the results, as well as underscore limitations and gaps in the available evidence related to PA among children and adolescents in Singapore. Methods: Following the Global Matrix 4.0, the available data between July 2010 to July 2020 was synthesized for all 10 indicators by the work group and reviewed by a panel of experts. Data sources included published scientific articles, government and non-government reports, national surveys, and unpublished data from on-going research studies. Where possible, grades were informed by nationally representative surveys or large-scale longitudinal studies. Results: The grades assigned were: Overall Physical Activity (C-), Organized Sport and Physical Activity (B-), Active Play (C-), Active Transportation (C), Sedentary Behaviours (C-), Physical Fitness (Incomplete), Family and Peers (C-), School (Incomplete), Community and Environment (A+), Government (B). Conclusion: This is the first comprehensive evaluation of PA among children and adolescents in Singapore. It provides baseline grades valuable for future comparison. It also illustrates gaps in the existing evidence which can inform future surveillance, facilitate international comparisons and enable global efforts in promoting physical activity.