To date, studies using cross-sectional methodologies make up a majority of the literature surrounding children with autism spectrum disorders and participation in physical activity and screen time. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine how physical activity and screen time behaviors co-develop for children with and without an autism spectrum disorder. To address this research gap, this study compared how physical activity and screen time levels changed over time (9 to 18 years of age) between youth with autism spectrum disorder and youth with neurotypical development. Data on the levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, television-, and video game-based screen time, collected as a part of the “Growing up in Ireland” study, were compared between youth with autism spectrum disorder and a propensity-matched sample of youth with neurotypical development (n = 88 per group; 176 in total). Robust regression analyses indicated that children with autism spectrum disorder became less active over time compared to children with neurotypical development and that video game screen time also differed significantly between the groups when children were 9 years old. These findings elucidate important disparities present between these groups of children during pivotal developmental times.

Lay abstract

To date, studies using cross-sectional methodologies make up a majority of the literature surrounding children with autism spectrum disorders and participation in physical activity and screen time. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine how physical activity and screen time behaviors co-develop for children with and without an autism spectrum disorder. To address this research gap, this study compared how physical activity and screen time levels changed over time (from 9 to 18 years of age) between youth with autism spectrum disorder and youth with neurotypical development. Data on the levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, television-, and video game-based screen time, collected as a part of the “Growing up in Ireland” study, were compared between youth with autism spectrum disorder and a propensity-matched sample of youth with neurotypical development (n = 88 per group; 176 in total). Robust regression analyses indicated that children with autism spectrum disorder became less active over time compared to children with neurotypical development and that video game screen time also differed significantly between the groups when children were 9 years old. These findings elucidate important disparities present between these groups of children during pivotal developmental times.

中文翻译：

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自闭症青年的体育锻炼和放映时间：9至18岁的纵向分析

迄今为止，使用横断面方法进行的研究构成了自闭症谱系障碍儿童以及参与体育活动和筛查时间的大部分文献。需要进行纵向研究，以检查有无自闭症谱系障碍儿童的身体活动和筛查时间行为是如何共同发展的。为了弥补这一研究空白，本研究比较了自闭症谱系障碍青年和神经典型发育青年之间的身体活动和筛查时间水平随时间（9至18岁）的变化。作为“在爱尔兰成长”研究的一部分，收集了有关中度至剧烈运动，轻度运动，基于电视和视频游戏的屏幕时间水平的数据，每组n = 88；共176个）。稳健的回归分析表明，自闭症谱系障碍的儿童与具有神经性发育发育的儿童相比，随着时间的推移变得不那么活跃，并且当9岁的儿童时，视频游戏的屏幕时间在两组之间也存在显着差异。这些发现阐明了在关键的发展时期这些儿童群体之间存在的重要差异。

放置摘要

迄今为止，使用横断面方法进行的研究构成了自闭症谱系障碍儿童以及参与体育活动和筛查时间的大部分文献。需要进行纵向研究，以检查有无自闭症谱系障碍儿童的身体活动和筛查时间行为是如何共同发展的。为了弥补这一研究空白，本研究比较了自闭症谱系障碍青年和神经典型发育青年之间的身体活动和筛查时间水平随时间（从9岁到18岁）的变化。作为“在爱尔兰成长”研究的一部分，收集了有关中度至剧烈运动，轻度运动，基于电视和视频游戏的屏幕时间水平的数据，每组n = 88；共176个）。稳健的回归分析表明，自闭症谱系障碍的儿童与具有神经性发育发育的儿童相比，随着时间的推移变得不那么活跃，并且当9岁的儿童时，视频游戏的屏幕时间在两组之间也存在显着差异。这些发现阐明了在关键的发展时期这些儿童群体之间存在的重要差异。