A new study suggests many immigrant children have lower levels of physical activity than their U.S.-born counterparts. The study involved 70,000 children, both native and immigrants, ages six to 17 from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health. Immigrant status was defined using the birthplaces of the children and their parents.

The researchers of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration found that children who had at least one immigrant parent were more likely to have lower levels of physical activity. Almost 18 percent of children with immigrant parents got less vigorous exercise or participation in sports than US-born children with American parents.

75 percent of US-born children with American parents got regular physical exercise – they got at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity at least three days per week – compared to only 65 percent of immigrant children.

“Immigrant children in each ethnic minority group generally had higher physical inactivity and lower sports participation levels than native children,” the researchers wrote.

Children with at least one immigrant parent were less likely to watch three or more hours of television per day.

As a measure designed to reduce disparities in health education programs designed to promote physical activity should target not only children from socially disadvantaged households and neighborhoods but also children in immigrant families, the authors of the study concluded.

However, the authors acknowledged that the study was limited by the use of parental report, who may not always know how much physical activity their children get.

The study was published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.