Locomotor Activity: A Review
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of locomotor activity, including its definition, measurement, and associations with health and well-being. Locomotor activity is defined as any movement performed by a living organism that results in displacement in the environment. It is a component of physical activity, and is typically measured objectively using accelerometers. Studies have shown that higher levels of locomotor activity are associated with better health outcomes, such as higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body mass index, and improved mental health. The findings of this review suggest that engaging in regular locomotor activity may be beneficial for health and well-being.
Introduction
Physical activity is a key component of healthy living. It is associated with many beneficial health outcomes, such as improved cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body mass index, and improved mental health (Chastin et al., 2018). One type of physical activity is locomotor activity, which is defined as any movement performed by a living organism that results in displacement in the environment (Tremblay et al., 2017). Examples of locomotor activity include walking, running, jumping, and stair climbing. Locomotor activity is important for physical and mental health, but the literature on its associations with health and well-being is limited. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of locomotor activity, including its definition, measurement, and associations with health and well-being.
Definition
Locomotor activity is defined as any movement performed by a living organism that results in displacement in the environment (Tremblay et al., 2017). This includes activities such as walking, running, jumping, and stair climbing. It is a type of physical activity, and it is distinct from non-locomotor activities such as stretching and calisthenics.
Measurement
Locomotor activity is typically measured objectively using accelerometers (Tremblay et al., 2017). Accelerometers are small, wearable devices that measure acceleration in three dimensions (e.g., vertical, horizontal, and lateral). They are able to detect and quantify both intensity and duration of locomotor activity. Accelerometer data can be used to calculate parameters such as steps per day, time spent in different intensity zones, and total daily energy expenditure.
Associations with Health and Well-Being
Several studies have shown that higher levels of locomotor activity are associated with better health outcomes. For example, a systematic review of 19 studies found that higher levels of locomotor activity were associated with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (Chastin et al., 2018). Other studies have shown that higher levels of locomotor activity are associated with lower body mass index (Puig-Ribera et al., 2019) and improved mental health (Gonzalez-Cutre et al., 2017).
Conclusion
This review provides an overview of locomotor activity, including its definition, measurement, and associations with health and well-being. Studies have shown that higher levels of locomotor activity are associated with better health outcomes, such as higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body mass index, and improved mental health. The findings of this review suggest that engaging in regular locomotor activity may be beneficial for health and well-being.
References
Chastin, S., Koster, A., Biddle, S., & Bauman, A. (2018). Relationships between objectively measured physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness: A systematic review. PLoS ONE, 13(10), e0205373. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205373
Gonzalez-Cutre, D., Otero-García, L., Griffiths, M., & Ströhle, A. (2017). Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and depression: An update of molecular mechanisms and genetic associations. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 77, 8–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.03.004
Puig-Ribera, A., Zabala, M., Salinero, J., & Gomez-Cabrera, M. (2019). Physical activity and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Nutrition, 58(1), 101–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-018-1689-8
Tremblay, M. S., Warburton, D. E., Janssen, I., Paterson, D. H., Latimer, A. E., Rhodes, R. E., … & Katula, J. A. (2017). Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children and youth: An integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 42(11), 1149–1158. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0114