Comparison of self-reported physical activity in children and adolescents before and during cancer treatment

Background Physical activities are important for the development of children and increasing evidence suggests beneficial effects of physical activity promotion during cancer treatment as well. The present study aimed at evaluating the current need of exercise interventions in pediatric cancer patients undergoing acute treatment and identifying risk factors for inactivity. Procedure Data about self‐reported physical activity before and during treatment was collected in a cross‐sectional design with the physical activity questionnaire from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) in a modified cancer specific version. Results One hundred thirty pediatric cancer patients with various entities were questioned 3.0 ± 1.6 months since diagnosis. Patients' activity levels before diagnosis mainly matched reference values for healthy children in Germany. Reductions during treatment affected all dimensions of daily physical activities and minutes of exercise per week decreased significantly (P