Patterns of physical activity in hunter-gatherer children compared with US and UK children

Abstract

AbstractSedentary lifestyles, mismatched with our active foraging history, contribute to escalating rates of non-communicable diseases. Contemporary hunter-gatherers appear to be highly active, but little is known about physical activity levels in hunter-gatherer children. We analysed 150 days of accelerometer data from 51 BaYaka hunter-gatherer children (aged 3-18) in the Republic of Congo, comparing it with British and American children (MCS and NHANES). BaYaka children were highly active, engaging in over 3 hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily, surpassing British adolescents by over 70 minutes. In US children activity declined with age; while in BaYaka children activity increased with age, unaffected by gender. Reflecting their foraging lifestyle, activity patterns varied within and between days, yet all children consistently rose with the sun. These findings highlight the impact of a foraging upbringing on children’s activity levels, providing a benchmark for understanding childhood physical activity and wellbeing.