Physical Activity Indicators Among Children and Adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates: Comparative Synthesis of Active Healthy Kids Report Card Data From 1998 to 2022.

Less than one-third of children and adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE achieved the recommended daily average of 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

• Only 15%-33% of children and adolescents in these three countries met the recommended daily PA guideline.
• Data were synthesized from AHKGA PA Report Cards published in 2016, 2018, and 2022, covering data from 1998 to 2022.
• These findings were compared against regional and global data from the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Global Matrix iterations.

More than one-half of children and adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE exceeded the recommended limit of 2 hours of recreational screen time per day.

• 45%-74% of children and adolescents in these countries exceeded the recommended 2-hour recreational screen time limit.
• High sedentary behavior was identified as a significant public health concern across all three countries.
• Screen time was evaluated as one of 10 key PA indicators across the three countries.

Boys were more physically active than girls across Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.

• A consistent sex-based disparity in physical activity levels was observed across all three countries.
• This sex difference was noted across the behavioral PA indicators examined.
• The finding aligns with broader regional and global patterns of sex differences in youth PA.

Physical activity levels declined with increasing age among children and adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.

• An inverse relationship between age and PA levels was observed across all three countries.
• This age-related decline was identified as a consistent trend over the 25-year data period (1998-2022).
• The trend was observed across the behavioral indicators evaluated in the AHKGA report cards.

Participation in organized sports and active transportation revealed insufficient physical activity levels among children and adolescents in the three countries.

• Organized sports participation and active transportation were among the 10 key PA indicators evaluated.
• Both behavioral indicators reflected inadequate levels of PA engagement.
• These findings contributed to the overall pattern of low PA across Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.

Results for sources of influence indicators, particularly school and government opportunities, were slightly better than behavioral PA indicators.

• Schools and governments were identified as providing relatively better opportunities for PA compared to behavioral outcomes.
• Despite governmental investments in PA initiatives, there was a lag in eliciting increases in PA at the population level.
• Sources of influence indicators were evaluated alongside behavioral and outcome indicators as part of the 10 key PA indicators.

Physical activity levels in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE were similar to averages observed across Asian countries participating in the AHKGA but generally lower than PA levels in other regions of the world.

• Comparative analysis was made against regional and global data from previous AHKGA Global Matrix iterations.
• PA levels in these Middle Eastern countries were comparable to Asian country averages within the AHKGA.
• PA levels were generally lower than those observed in other global regions participating in the AHKGA.

There is a lack of national surveillance systems and evidence-based policy interventions to improve physical activity levels in Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.

• The absence of robust national surveillance systems was identified as exacerbating public health concerns around physical inactivity.
• Despite governmental investments in PA initiatives, population-level PA increases have not been achieved.
• The authors identified a critical need for behavioral and lifestyle modifications among children and adolescents in these countries.

Countries in the Middle East exhibit some of the highest levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior globally, contributing to increasing rates of obesity among children and adolescents.

• Approximately two-thirds of children worldwide do not achieve the recommended daily amount of physical activity.
• Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are identified as important modifiable risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.
• The Middle East region's high levels of inactivity are linked to increasing obesity rates in youth.

The study synthesized data from three iterations of the AHKGA Global Matrix report cards covering a 25-year period from 1998 to 2022.

• Data were drawn from Global Matrix 2.0 (2016 publication, 1998-2014 data), Global Matrix 3.0 (2018 publication, 2016-2017 data), and Global Matrix 4.0 (2022 publication, 2017-2022 data).
• Ten key PA indicators were evaluated across Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.
• Findings were compared with regional and global data gathered in previous AHKGA Global Matrix iterations.