A cross-sectional study of the individual,social, and built environmental correlates of pedometer-based physical activity among elementary school children

Background  

Children who participate in regular physical activity obtain health benefits. Preliminary pedometer-based cut-points representing sufficient levels of physical activity among youth have been established; however limited evidence regarding correlates of achieving these cut-points exists. The purpose of this study was to identify correlates of pedometer-based cut-points among elementary school-aged children.     

Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth

Background  

The purpose was to: 1) perform a systematic review of studies examining the relation between physical activity, fitness, and health in school-aged children and youth, and 2) make recommendations based on the findings.     

Individual, social, environmental, and physical environmental correlates with physical activity among Canadians: a cross-sectional study

Background  

The identification of various individual, social and physical environmental factors affecting physical activity (PA) behavior in Canada can help in the development of more tailored intervention strategies for promoting higher PA levels in Canada. This study examined the influences of various individual, social and physical environmental factors on PA participation by gender, age and socioeconomic status, using data from the 2002 nationwide survey of the Physical Activity Monitor.     

Impact of enjoyment on physical activity and health among children with disabilities in schools

Background

Enjoyment in school-based physical activity (PA) programs, such as recess or physical education may be important for promoting children's health, but there is a lack of evidence explaining how enjoyment affects health in children with disabilities.

Physical environmental correlates of self-reported and objectively assessed physical activity in Belgian type 2 diabetes patients

Despite the well-known beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on the long-term outcomes of type 2 diabetes patients, the majority of this patient group remains inactive. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the most important PA determinants in type 2 diabetes patients in order to develop efficacious interventions to increase PA participation. The main aim of this study was to investigate the associations of physical environmental factors with objectively assessed and self-reported PA in type 2 diabetes patients. A total of 133 type 2 diabetes patients participated in this cross-sectional study (response rate: 43.3%). All participants completed the long International PA Questionnaire and two validated questionnaires to measure physical environmental perceptions and psychosocial factors. They also wore an accelerometer and a pedometer to measure PA objectively. Selection criteria were age 35-80, BMI 25-35 kg m(-2), treated for type 2 diabetes and no PA limitations. Data were collected in 2007. Physical environmental factors contributed significantly to the explained variance of all objective and self-reported PA measures (explained variance from 4% to 18%) after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Home PA equipment, walkability, aesthetics and convenience of PA facilities were the most consistent environmental correlates. The contribution of physical environmental factors remained significant for most PA measures after taking into account the variance explained by psychosocial factors (explained variance from 4% to 10%), except for step counts and recreational walking. Physical environmental factors could be important correlates of PA in type 2 diabetes patients, even beyond the contribution of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables, but additional research is needed. Nevertheless, sociodemographic and psychosocial factors remain very important and when developing future interventions, all these multidimensional correlates should be kept in mind.     

Relative influences of individual,social environmental,and physical environmental correlates of walking

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine individual, social environmental, and physical environmental correlates of walking. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthy workers and homemakers residing in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. RESULTS: Most respondents walked for transport or recreation, but only 17.2% did a sufficient amount of walking to accrue health benefits. After adjustment, the relative influences of individual, social environmental, and physical environmental factors were found to be almost equally important. CONCLUSIONS: Although walking is popular, few people do enough walking to benefit their health. Those who walk as well as engage in other physical activities appear more likely to achieve recommended levels of activity. Promoting walking may require a comprehensive strategy.     

Gender differences in perceived environmental correlates of physical activity

Background  

Limited research has been conducted on gender differences in perceived environmental correlates of physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to explore the potential role of gender in the link between perceived environment and PA.     

Systematic review of sedentary behaviour and health indicators in school-aged children and youth

Background

Emerging frameworks to examine active school transportation (AST) commonly emphasize the built environment (BE) as having an influence on travel mode decisions. Objective measures of BE attributes have been recommended for advancing knowledge about the influence of the BE on school travel mode choice. An updated systematic review on the relationships between GIS-measured BE attributes and AST is required to inform future research in this area. The objectives of this review are: i) to examine and summarize the relationships between objectively measured BE features and AST in children and adolescents and ii) to critically discuss GIS methodologies used in this context.

Methods

Six electronic databases, and websites were systematically searched, and reference lists were searched and screened to identify studies examining AST in students aged five to 18 and reporting GIS as an environmental measurement tool. Fourteen cross-sectional studies were identified. The analyses were classified in terms of density, diversity, and design and further differentiated by the measures used or environmental condition examined.

Results

Only distance was consistently found to be negatively associated with AST. Consistent findings of positive or negative associations were not found for land use mix, residential density, and intersection density. Potential modifiers of any relationship between these attributes and AST included age, school travel mode, route direction (e.g., to/from school), and trip-end (home or school). Methodological limitations included inconsistencies in geocoding, selection of study sites, buffer methods and the shape of zones (Modifiable Areal Unit Problem [MAUP]), the quality of road and pedestrian infrastructure data, and school route estimation.

Conclusions

The inconsistent use of spatial concepts limits the ability to draw conclusions about the relationship between objectively measured environmental attributes and AST. Future research should explore standardizing buffer size, assess the quality of street network datasets and, if necessary, customize existing datasets, and explore further attributes linked to safety.     

Physical activity levels of children in special schools

Objective.Children's physical activity (PA) has been studied extensively, but little information is available on those with disabilities. We sought to examine the PA of children with disabilities during physical education (PE) and recess while simultaneously documenting environmental conditions.Method.Five schools designed for students with four types of special needs (physical disability, mild intellectual disability, hearing impairment, and visual impairment) participated. We used the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) to code the PA of children in grades 4 to 6 during both PE and recess and to document teacher behavior and lesson context in PE. Observations were conducted during 2 school days over a 2-week period.Results.Children accrued little moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during PE (7.8 min) and recess (8.9 min). Activity levels varied across disability types, with differences attributed to lesson context and teacher behavior. Children with physical disabilities were the least active during both PE and recess.Conclusions.Children with disabilities accrue little PA at school. Increased PE frequency and lesson intensity, more PA opportunities during non-structured school time, and collaborations with home and community agencies are needed to reach PA recommendations.     

Physical activity levels of children in special schools

OBJECTIVE: Children's physical activity (PA) has been studied extensively, but little information is available on those with disabilities. We sought to examine the PA of children with disabilities during physical education (PE) and recess while simultaneously documenting environmental conditions. METHOD: Five schools designed for students with four types of special needs (physical disability, mild intellectual disability, hearing impairment, and visual impairment) participated. We used the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) to code the PA of children in grades 4 to 6 during both PE and recess and to document teacher behavior and lesson context in PE. Observations were conducted during 2 school days over a 2-week period. RESULTS: Children accrued little moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during PE (7.8 min) and recess (8.9 min). Activity levels varied across disability types, with differences attributed to lesson context and teacher behavior. Children with physical disabilities were the least active during both PE and recess. CONCLUSIONS: Children with disabilities accrue little PA at school. Increased PE frequency and lesson intensity, more PA opportunities during non-structured school time, and collaborations with home and community agencies are needed to reach PA recommendations.     

Preschool children and physical activity: a review of correlates

BACKGROUND: Several reviews have summarized the research on correlates of older children's and adolescents' physical activity behaviors, but none have been published on preschool children. Over the past 27 years, a number of studies have investigated the correlates of preschool children's physical activity behaviors. It is timely and necessary to review the extant literature in this area. This paper reviews articles investigating correlates of preschool children's physical activity behaviors published in peer-reviewed journals between 1980 and March 2007. METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify studies that investigated correlates of preschool children's physical activity. Data were collected and analyzed in 2007. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles were identified that met the inclusion criteria. From those articles, 39 variables were identified across five domains. Results showed that boys were more active than girls, that children with active parents tended to be more active, and that children who spent more time outdoors were more active than children who spent less time outdoors. Age and BMI were consistently shown to have no association with preschool children's physical activity. Other variables produced largely inconclusive results. CONCLUSIONS: The influences on the physical activity behaviors of preschool children are multidimensional. Further research is required to enhance an understanding of these influences.     

Social and physical environmental factors and child overweight in a sample of American and Czech school-aged children: a pilot study

ObjectiveTo compare environmental factors that influence body mass index for age (BMI-for-age) between a sample of American and Czech school-aged children.DesignPilot study. A parent questionnaire and school visits were used to collect data from parents and children.SettingPublic schools in 1 American and 2 Czech cities.ParticipantsForty-five American and 97 Czech 4^th- through 6^th-graders and their parents.Variables MeasuredParenting style, food socialization and preparation practices, healthful food availability, and children's BMI-for-age were measured.AnalysisFactors from the parental scales were derived using factor analysis. Independent t tests compared environmental factors between American and Czech families. A regression model was used to identify environmental variables associated with BMI-for-age.ResultsAmerican parents used authoritative parenting style and positive food socialization practices more often than Czech parents (P <.001). Availability of healthful food and parental involvement in food preparation were higher (P <.001) in Czech households. Positive encouraging socialization practices, less frequent use of negative explanations, and a greater availability of vegetables were associated with lower BMI-for-age in the Czech sample of children.Conclusions and ImplicationsA future study should focus on identifying environmental factors that influence children's BMI-for-age with a large sample of Czech and American parents and their school-aged children.     

School grounds and physical activity: Associations at secondary schools,and over the transition from primary to secondary schools

This paper aims to further understanding of the physical environments of secondary schools and their associations with young peoples' physical activity. Accelerometer-derived physical activity measurements from 299 participants in the SPEEDY study (Norfolk, UK) were obtained from baseline measurements (age 9–10 y) and +4y follow-up. These were linked to objective measures of primary and secondary school environments as measured by the SPEEDY grounds audit tool. We saw considerable differences in the nature of school grounds between primary and secondary schools. Cross-sectional associations were seen between active travel provision scores and commuting time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 13–14 year old boys and adolescents living further from school. However, few associations were seen between changes in school grounds scores and changes in school-based MVPA.     

The prevalence and correlates of physical activity/inactivity and sedentary behaviour among high-school adolescents in Iran: a cross-sectional study

Journal of Public Health - Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are the main risk factors for non-communicable diseases in all stages of life. However, there is a lack of reliable data...     

Dietary and physical activity/inactivity factors associated with obesity in school-aged children

Diet and physical activity (PA) are essential components of nutritional status. Adequate nutrition and an active lifestyle are key factors during childhood, because food habits track into adulthood. Children spend more time in school than in any other environment away from home. Studying the diet factors and patterns of PA that affect obesity risk in children during school hours and the complete school day can help identify opportunities to lower this risk. We directly measured the time children spent performing moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at school, compared the amount and intensity of PA during school hours with after-school hours, and tried to determine if diet behaviors and PA or inactivity were associated with excess weight and body fat. This cross-sectional study included 143 normal-weight (NLW) and 48 obese children aged 8-10 y. Diet data were obtained from two 24-h recalls. Body composition was measured by bioimpedance. Screen time and sports participation data were self-reported. NLW children drank/ate more dairy servings than the obese children, who consumed more fruit-flavored water than the NLW group. Consumption of soft drinks, sugar-added juices, and fresh juices was low in both groups. Children were less active during school hours than after school. MVPA was lower during school hours in the obese group than in the NLW group. Schools, parents, and authorities should be more involved in promoting strategies to improve the dietary habits and PA levels of school-aged children, because this group is not achieving the recommended level of daily MVPA.     

Structured opportunities for student physical activity in Ontario elementary and secondary schools

This paper examines structured opportunities for student physical activity in Ontario elementary and secondary schools. Random samples of elementary and secondary schools were selected, and telephone surveys of 353 elementary and 360 secondary school personnel were conducted in 1998. The findings indicate that elementary schools offered physical education, on average, just under three days per week. The duration of physical education class and, in some cases, the duration of vigorous physical activity in class and the weekly amount of vigorous activity in class, were significantly higher at successive grade levels. The physical education enrollment rate in secondary schools was significantly lower at successive grade levels. Student participation in secondary school intramurals and interschool sports was 22.8% and 28.7% respectively. These findings suggest increasing the weekly frequency of physical education in elementary schools and increasing participation in physical education classes in secondary schools. Also, intramural opportunities and participation should be promoted.     

Health-promoting and health-constraining environmental features and physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adolescence: a geospatial cross-sectional study

The environment may be an important influence on adolescent behaviour. We combined accelerometry and global positioning system data to investigate how the environment was related to physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Adolescents spent most of their time in very close proximity to a range of both health-promoting and health-constraining features. Several associations were detected between time spent in areas with the greatest access to health-promoting features and reduced sedentary time and less travel time by motor vehicle. The environment may contribute to the variation in adolescent activity behaviour.