Neighborhood perceptions moderate the association between the family environment and children's objectively assessed physical activity

This study aimed to investigate whether parents' perceptions of the neighborhood environment moderate associations between the family environment and children's moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) outside of school hours. In total, 929 parents of 10–12 year-old children completed a questionnaire concerning the family environment, MVPA levels, and the neighborhood environment. Children wore an Actigraph (AM7164-2.2C) accelerometer. Compared with neighborhood environment factors, the family environment was more frequently associated with children's MVPA. Parental MVPA was positively associated with children's MVPA, but only among children whose parents reported a high presence of sporting venues. Having more restrictive physical activity rules was negatively associated with children's weekday MVPA in neighborhoods with high perceived stranger danger.     

Children's perceptions of their home and neighborhood environments, and their association with objectively measured physical activity: a qualitative and quantitative study

Environmental factors may have an important influence on children's physical activity, yet children's perspectives of their home and neighborhood environments have not been widely assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate children's perceptions of their environments, and to examine associations between these perceptions and objectively measured physical activity. The sample consisted of 147, 10-year-old Australian children, who drew maps of their home and neighborhood environments. A subsample of children photographed places and things in these environments that were important to them. The maps were analyzed for themes, and for the frequency with which particular objects and locations appeared. Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers. Six themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the maps and photographs: the family home; opportunities for physical activity and sedentary pursuits; food items and locations; green space and outside areas; the school and opportunities for social interaction. Of the 11 variables established from these themes, one home and two neighborhood factors were associated with children's physical activity. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of children's perceptions of their environment, and highlight the potential importance of the home and neighborhood environments for promoting physical activity behavior.     

The relationship between school physical activity policy and objectively measured physical activity of elementary school students: a multilevel model analysis

Background

There is evidence of school level variability in the physical activity of children and youth. Less is known about factors that may contribute to this variation. The purpose of this study was to examine if the school health environment (Healthy Physical Environment, Instruction and Programs, Supportive Social Environment, and Community Partnerships) is associated with objectively measured time spent in light to vigorous physical activity among a sample of Toronto children.

Methods

The sample comprised 856 grade 5 and 6 students from 18 elementary schools in Toronto, Ontario. Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the impact of school physical activity policy on students’ time spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity.

Results

Significant between-school random variation in objectively measured time spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity was identified [σ²μ₀ = 0.067; p < 0.001]; school-level differences accounted for 6.7% of the variability in the time individual students spent in light-to-vigorous physical activity. Of the 22 school-level variables, students attending schools with support for active transportation to/from school and written policies/practices for physical activity, accumulated significantly more minutes of physical activity per school week than students who attended schools that did not.

Conclusions

School physical activity policy and support for active school travel is associated with objectively measured time spent in light to vigorous physical activity. School physical activity policy might be a critical mechanism through which schools can impact the physical activity levels of their students.     

Correlates of objectively measured physical activity in preadolescent youth.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the psychosocial and environmental correlates of objectively measured physical activity behavior in a diverse sample of sixth-grade students. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS: One hundred ninety-eight sixth-grade students from 4 public middle schools in Columbia, South Carolina. The study group was 52.0% female, 55.1% African-American, with a mean age of 11.4 +/- 0.6 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time spent in moderate physical activity (MPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) was assessed using a uniaxial accelerometer (CSA WAM 7164) (Computer Science and Applications Inc., Shalimar, FL). Determinant variables included: age, gender, race/ethnicity (demographic); physical activity self-efficacy, social norms related to physical activity, and beliefs regarding physical activity outcomes (psychosocial); and perceived physical activity habits of parents and peers, involvement in community physical activity organizations, involvement in community-based sports programs, access to fitness/sporting equipment at home, and self-reported hours spent watching television or playing video games (environmental). RESULTS: For boys, physical activity self-efficacy, social norms related to physical activity, and involvement in community physical activity organizations were salient predictors of MPA and VPA. Among girls, only physical activity self-efficacy emerged as a clear predictor of objectively measured physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous studies using self-reported physical activity and suggest that interventions to increase physical activity in preadolescent youth should endeavor to boost physical activity self-efficacy by offering a wide selection of enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate physical activity options.     

Elementary school practices and children's objectively measured physical activity during school

Objective

To examine the relation of physical activity practices covering physical education (PE), recess, and classroom time in elementary schools to children's objectively measured physical activity during school.

Methods

Participants were 172 children from 97 elementary schools in the San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA USA regions recruited in 2009–2010. Children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school was assessed via accelerometry, and school practices were assessed via survey of school informants. Multivariate linear mixed models were adjusted for participant demographics and unstandardized regression coefficients are reported. The 5 practices with the strongest associations with physical activity were combined into an index to investigate additive effects of these practices on children's MVPA.

Results

Providing ≥ 100 min/week of PE (B = 6.7 more min/day; p = .049), having ≤ 75 students/supervisor in recess (B = 6.4 fewer min/day; p = .031), and having a PE teacher (B = 5.8 more min/day; p = .089) were related to children's MVPA during school. Children at schools with 4 of the 5 practices in the index had 20 more min/day of MVPA during school than children at schools with 0 or 1 of the 5 practices (p < .001).

Conclusions

The presence of multiple school physical activity practices doubled children's physical activity during school.     

Parent-child interactions and objectively measured child physical activity: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Parents influence their children's behaviors directly through specific parenting practices and indirectly through their parenting style. Some practices such as logistical and emotional support have been shown to be positively associated with child physical activity (PA) levels, while for others (e.g. monitoring) the relationship is not clear. The objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between parent's PA-related practices, general parenting style, and children's PA level.     

Cardiorespiratory fitness, weight status and objectively measured sedentary behaviour and physical activity in rural and urban Portuguese adolescents

Relationships among weight status (body mass index [BMI]), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and objective measures of sedentary behaviour and physical activity (PA) were considered in a cross-sectional sample of Portuguese adolescents. The sample included 362 youth aged 13-16 years (165 males, 197 females) from urban and rural regions of the Portuguese midlands. CRF was assessed with the 20-m shuttle-run test. An uniaxial accelerometer was used to obtain five consecutive days of activity behaviours including time being sedentary. Pearson correlations and logistic regression analysis were used to examine relationships among variables. Rural adolescents were less active than their urban peers over the weekend. Both rural and urban youth with higher levels of CRF had a lower relative risk of being overweight/obese. The observations indicate important associations between weight status and CRF in both rural and urban Portuguese adolescents. In addition, place of residence has an important impact on weight status of this sample of adolescents.     

The relationship of physical activity and overweight to objectively measured green space accessibility and use

This study examines the association between objectively measured access to green space, frequency of green space use, physical activity, and the probability of being overweight or obese in the city of Bristol, England. Data from the 2005 Bristol Quality of Life in your Neighbourhood survey for 6821 adults were combined with a comprehensive GIS database of neighbourhood and green space characteristics. A range of green space accessibility measures were computed. Associations between accessibility and the odds of respondents achieving a recommended 30 min or more of moderate activity five times a week, or being overweight or obese, were examined using logistic regression. Results showed that the reported frequency of green space use declined with increasing distance. The study also found that respondents living closest to the type of green space classified as a Formal park were more likely to achieve the physical activity recommendation and less likely to be overweight or obese. The association with physical activity, but not with overweight or obesity, remained after adjustment for respondent characteristics, area deprivation, and a range of characteristics of the neighbourhood environment. The findings suggest that the provision of good access to green spaces in urban areas may help promote population physical activity.     

Children's television viewing and objectively measured physical activity: associations with family circumstance

Background  

The contribution of family circumstance to physical activity and television viewing has not been widely investigated in pre-adolescents, and available information is inconsistent. This study examines whether television viewing and objectively measured physical activity vary by different indicators of family circumstance.     

Prevalence and correlates of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior among US pregnant women

ObjectivePhysical activity is recommended for pregnant women without medical or obstetric complications. This study described the prevalence and correlates of objectively-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior among United States pregnant women.MethodsUsing cross-sectional data collected from the 2003 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 359 pregnant women ≥16 years wore an accelerometer for 1 week.ResultsWomen participated in a mean of 12.0 minutes/day (standard error (SE) 0.86) of moderate activity and 0.3 minutes/day (SE 0.08) of vigorous activity. Mean moderate to vigorous physical activity varied by trimester: 11.5 minutes/day in first trimester, 14.3 minutes/day in second trimester, and 7.6 minutes/day in third trimester. On average, women spent 57.1% of their monitored time in sedentary behaviors. In multivariable adjusted models, moderate to vigorous physical activity was higher in the first (p = 0.02) and second (p < 0.001) trimesters compared to the third trimester, and among women with higher household income (p = 0.03) compared to lower household income. In multivariable adjusted models, average counts/minute was higher in the second compared to the third trimester (p = 0.04).ConclusionMost pregnant women spent more than half of the monitored day in sedentary behaviors and did not meet recommendations for physical activity.     

Associations between executive attention and objectively measured physical activity in adolescence: Findings from ALSPAC,a UK cohort

Studies of relationships between physical activity and children's attention skills are often constrained by small samples, lack of objective measurements and lack of control for confounders. The present study explores the relationship using objective measures of physical activity from a large birth cohort which permits both longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses. Data from 4755 participants (45% male) with valid measurement of physical activity (total volume and intensity) by accelerometry at age 11 from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (UK) were analysed. Attention was evaluated by the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) at 11 years and by the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerised cognitive assessment system at 13 years. Males engaged in an average of 29 min (SD 17) of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at age 11 years compared with 18 min (SD 12) among females. In unadjusted models, higher total volume of physical activity was associated with lower performance across attention tasks. When total volume of physical activity and potential confounding variables were controlled for, higher MVPA was associated with better performance at both 11 and 13 years. Correction for regression dilution approximately doubled the standardised β coefficients. We observed complex associations but results suggest that MVPA may be beneficial for attention processes in adolescence, especially in males. This has implications for interventions aimed at improving executive attention but may also be supportive of the benefits of physical activity for educational and mental health outcomes.     

Associations between abdominal adiposity,body size and objectively measured physical activity in infants from Soweto,South Africa

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Considering the importance of the early life period, in conjunction with the increasing prevalence of adiposity and insufficient physical activity already...     

Sex differences in the variables associated with objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in preschoolers

Objective

To investigate variables associated with objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in German preschool children.

Methods

Cross-sectional data was collected from 649 three to six year old children (51% boys) in 52 preschools in south Germany between autumn and spring 2008−2009. Sociodemographic, health and socio-cultural variables that could affect children's objectively measured MVPA minutes, averaged over two to four week and weekend days, were tested in bivariate and multivariate linear regression models.

Results

MVPA was significantly associated with the extrinsic variables age (−4.52 min/year of age), health status (5.62 min/category), high TV time (9.22 min/category) and high parental PA (6.59 min/category) among girls. For boys, only the intrinsic variable desire to be active (5.19 min/category) was significantly, positively associated with MVPA. The final models for girls and boys explained approximately 10% and 7% of the variance, respectively, in children's MVPA.

Conclusion

We found differences by sex in variables associated with objectively measured MVPA in preschoolers. A focus on extrinsic motivators such as parental PA for girls and intrinsic motivators for boys may be an important consideration when designing interventions and PA programs for this age group.     

Associations of subjectively and objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity with cognitive development in the early years

PurposeTo examine the associations of subjectively and objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity with cognitive development in a sample of 30–59 month olds.MethodsCross-sectional findings are based on 100 early years children (43.4 ± 9.4 months; 53% female) from Edmonton, Canada that were part of the Physical Activity and Cognition in Early Childhood (PACE) study. Sedentary time and physical activity (light-intensity, moderate- to vigorous-intensity, total) were objectively measured with an accelerometer. Sedentary behavior (television, video/computer games, screen time) and physical activity (organized, non-organized, total) were also subjectively measured with a parental questionnaire. Vocabulary was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition, working memory was measured with the Nebraska Barnyard task, and response inhibition was measured with the Fish-Shark Go/No-Go task. Correlations and linear regression were used to examine associations.ResultsTotal subjective physical activity (r = 0.31; p = 0.018) and non-organized physical activity (r = 0.27; p = 0.035) were significantly positively correlated with vocabulary. Conversely, television viewing (r = −0.21; p = 0.046) was significantly negatively correlated with vocabulary. These significant associations remained in linear regression models after adjusting for age. Objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity were not significantly associated with any cognitive development measure and no sedentary behavior or physical activity measure was associated with working memory or response inhibition.ConclusionsTelevision viewing may be detrimental and physical activity, especially non-organized, may be beneficial for vocabulary in early years children. Future research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal and experimental study designs are needed to confirm these findings and determine the mechanisms.