Correlates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among preschoolers during unstructured outdoor play periods

ObjectiveQuantify moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and its correlates in preschool children during outdoor unstructured play periods using direct observation.MethodsCross-sectional data consisting of 204 observation periods collected from 51 four- and five-year-old children using the Observation System for Recording Physical Activity in Children — Preschool (OSRAC-P) at a preschool in southern California, autumn and spring 2009–2010. Gender and BMI classification and OSRAC-P environmental codes were related to observed MVPA in multiple logistic regression models.ResultsLess than 21% of intervals were spent in MVPA overall. Boys and normal weight children engaged in higher intensity levels than their respective counterparts. More MVPA was associated with normal weight (OR = 2.49–3.25, R² = 3%), location (grass, playground, looping cycle path; OR = 3.21–4.90, R² = 4–12%), play context (ball/objects, wheel, open space; OR = 2.78–8.51, R² = 9%), and group composition (solitary, one-on-one; OR = 1.34–2.08, R² = 1%).ConclusionOpen spaces located in playgrounds and grass fields, and activity-genic portable equipment, manipulative objects, and riding vehicles are some design and equipment features that appear to foster MVPA. Lowering play space density and engaging children through teacher prompts and teacher-arranged activities may further increase MVPA on playgrounds.     

Violent crime and outdoor physical activity among inner-city youth

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown poor correlation between subjective assessments of neighborhood safety and physical activity. This study was performed to model relationships between adolescents' outdoor physical activity and objectively measured violent crime densities, along with other key environmental variables. METHODS: Participants' physical activity was measured using a validated questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was performed using outdoor physical activity away from school (OPA) as the dependent variable. Environmental factors included the density of violent crime within 1/2 mi of each participant's home, distance to nearest open play space, per capita income, and participants' subjective assessment of neighborhood safety. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis showed that distance to nearest open play space was inversely and significantly associated with boys' OPA, while density of violent crime within 1/2 mi of home was inversely and significantly associated with girls' OPA. Girls' perceptions that their neighborhood was safe for physical activity were also associated with higher levels of OPA, while boys' assessments of neighborhood safety were not significantly related to OPA. CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood violent crime may be a significant environmental barrier to outdoor physical activity for urban dwelling Mexican-American adolescent girls. Future studies of physical activity and the environment should use objective measures of environmental factors.     

Crime,physical activity and outdoor recreation among Latino adolescents in Chicago

Purpose

The purpose was to examine how fear of crime, crime victimization, and perceived level of community incivilities are related to physical activity participation and outdoor recreation among Latino adolescents.

Method

The study utilized a mixed methods approach that included 25 qualitative interviews and 390 school-based surveys collected from youth across three schools in Little Village, Chicago, Illinois.

Results

Results showed that Latino adolescents who expressed greater fear of crime also engaged in less physical activity and outdoor recreation. There was no association between crime victimization and physical activity and outdoor recreation. Those who perceived greater levels of community incivilities also engaged in less outdoor recreation, but perception of incivilities had no significant association with physical activity levels. Interview data revealed most of the children believed crime was a serious problem in their neighborhood and it impacted their ability to be physically active and play outside.

Conclusions

Fear of crime was related to lower physical activity and outdoor recreation. It is imperative that communities provide safe environments for children to be active. Increasing police and adult presence in parks and school grounds is recommended. Moreover, efforts must be made to reduce the gang problems in Latino communities.     

Neighborhood and developmental differences in children's perceptions of opportunities for play and physical activity

The purposes of this study were to examine perceptions of places to play and be physically active among children from two different urban neighborhoods, and evaluate these perceptions for age-related developmental differences. One hundred and sixty-eight children from grades K-6 (aged 6-12 years old) completed mental maps depicting places where they could play and be physically active. The children were recruited from schools in two neighborhoods-one a high-walkability (H-W) grid-style neighborhood, the other a low-walkability (L-W) lollipop-style (i.e., cul-de-sacs) neighborhood. Analysis revealed that children in the H-W neighborhood depicted more active transportation and less non-active transportation than children in the L-W neighborhood. Children in the lowest grades (K-2) in the L-W neighborhood depicted more play in the home/yard environment than the oldest children, more good weather image events than children in Grades 3-6, and less play outside the home/yard environment than children in Grades 3 and 4. In the H-W neighborhood, the youngest children (K-2) depicted significantly less play in the home/yard environment and less play outside the home/yard environment than older children (Grades 3-6). Thus, both the type of urban neighborhood and children's age moderated perceptions of places to play and be physically active.     

学龄前儿童屏幕暴露对睡眠的影响及户外活动的调节作用

目的 了解学龄前儿童屏幕暴露和睡眠情况,探讨二者的关系,为促进儿童睡眠健康提供参考。方法 采用随机整群抽样方法,2020年10—12月选取广州市3所幼儿园的166名在园幼儿为研究对象,利用父母问卷调查学龄前儿童屏幕暴露时间、户外活动时间和睡眠时间等。采用线性回归模型分析学龄前儿童屏幕暴露时间与睡眠时间的关联性,并采用调节效应模型分析户外活动时间的调节作用。结果 共调查学龄前儿童166例,其中有138例(83.1%)夜间睡眠持续时间不足10 h, 86例(51.8%)每日总视屏时间≥1 h。多元线性回归模型分析显示学龄前儿童移动电子(手机/平板电脑)屏幕暴露时间与睡眠时间显著相关(β=-0.298,95%CI:-0.603～-0.021);而看电视时间与睡眠时间无显著关联(β=-0.144, 95%CI:-0.382～0.089)。调节效应模型显示户外活动时间对不同类型屏幕暴露时间与睡眠时间的关系均无显著调节效应(P>0.05)。结论 学龄前儿童屏幕暴露时间,尤其是移动电子视屏时间可能会影响其睡眠时间,增加户外活动时间可能并不降低屏幕暴露对睡眠时间的影响。     

建成环境对南京市儿童青少年体力活动影响

目的 分析不同建成环境特征对江苏省南京地区儿童青少年体力活动水平的影响,为提高儿童青少年体力活动水平提供科学依据.方法 于2018年5-6月采用现况研究设计,使用多阶段整群随机抽样方法,选择南京市12个行政区4～12年级学生(9～17岁儿童青少年)共4 401人进行问卷调查,采用国际上通用体力活动居住环境量表(PANE...     

Changes in physical activity by context and residential greenness among recent retirees: Longitudinal GPS and accelerometer study

This study examined the changes in accelerometer-measured physical activity by GPS-measured contexts among Finnish retirees (n = 45 (537 measurement days)) participating in a physical activity intervention. We also assessed whether residential greenness, measured with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, moderated the changes. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) increased at home by 7 min/day, (P < 0.001) and during active travel by 5 min/day (P = 0.03). The participants with the highest vs. lowest greenness had 25 min/day greater increase in MVPA over the follow-up (P for Time*Greenness interaction = 0.04). In conclusion, retirees participating in the intervention increased their MVPA both at home and in active travel, and more so if they lived in a greener area.     

Reliability of physical activity measures from accelerometry among preschoolers in free-living conditions

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Physical activity (PA) is a major determinant of obesity. Accelerometers have been reported to provide valid measures among adults. However, studies among preschoolers rarely report positive findings. To assess the day-to-day variability of accelerometers in preschoolers. METHODS: Uni-axial accelerometer (Actigraph monitor AM 7164-2.2) counts including one weekend from the time of getting up in the morning until bedtime. RESULTS: On average, boys showed 899 counts per minute (cpm) compared to 764 for girls (p<0.01; overall mean 828 cpm). Intra-individual correlation for accelerometry data between single days of examination was low with Pearson correlation coefficients between r=0.31 and 0.51. Furthermore, child's body mass index (BMI) and accelerometer measures were not related to each other (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=-0.06). Subsequent analyses showed higher measures (+50%cpm; p<0.01) for instruments placed in front of the umbilicus compared to instruments placed at the right hip. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of uni-axial accelerometers showed a low reliability among preschoolers. Uni-axial accelerometers placed on elastic belts might measure PA with low precision among preschoolers under free-living conditions possibly due to slipping instruments. This might explain lacking findings of an association between PA and obesity in studies among preschoolers.     

Neighborhood walkability and health outcomes among older adults: The mediating role of physical activity

We examined the mediating role of physical activity on the relationships of walkability with Flemish older adults' health outcomes. In low income neighborhoods, residents of high walkable neighborhoods had a 1.5 kg/m² lower BMI than low walkable residents. Of this difference 0.3 kg/m² (19%) and 0.2 kg/m² (12%) were explained through walking for transport and MVPA, respectively. Similar findings were observed for waist circumference. Walkability did not relate to functional performance or quality of life. Walkable neighborhoods may benefit older adults’ health, especially in low income neighborhoods. More research in other contexts is warranted to confirm current findings.     

Neighborhood factors influence physical activity among African American and Hispanic or Latina women

This study investigated the relationship between neighborhood street-scale elements, such as traffic lights and crossing aids, and physical activity (PA) adoption and maintenance in African American and Hispanic or Latina women. Women (N=309) participated in a 6-month intervention and completed baseline and post-intervention assessments of PA. Trained field assessors completed the Pedestrian Environment Data Scan in participants' neighborhoods. Adjusted linear regression models found attractiveness for bicycling significantly predicted post-intervention accelerometer-measured PA. Greater traffic control devices and crossing aids were associated with greater PA among women assigned to the PA intervention group, and greater street amenities were associated with greater PA among those in the comparison group. Neighborhood factors may interact favorably with behavioral interventions to promote PA adoption and maintenance, and should be considered in health promotion efforts.     

Gender,play, language,and creativity in preschoolers

This study explored the effects of a child's gender and school setting on preschoolers' language abilities (receptive vocabulary), creativity, and social play. The participants were primarily European-American children who spoke English as a primary language (nine children were bilingual), and were from middle income socioeconomic backgrounds. There were 20 girls and 33 boys. Ages ranged from 3.11 to 6.60 years with a mean age of 4.66 years. On separate occasions, children individually completed the Goodenough-Harris Draw-a-Person Test and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV. We also recorded the children's social play using Howes and Matheson's [1992. Sequences in the development of competent play with peers: Social and social pretend play. Developmental Psychology, 28, 961–974] scale. We employed a time sampling approach and also notated the area in which the child was playing. We found that gender and school setting influenced children's language abilities and social play. For example, children in the preschool that engaged in pretend play with greater frequency performed well on the receptive vocabulary test. We also found that certain classroom areas generated different types of social play. We discuss the applied value of our findings as these relate to future research.     

New physical activity spaces in deprived neighborhoods: Does it change outdoor play and sedentary behavior? A natural experiment

BackgroundWe used the introduction of dedicated physical activity (PA) spaces in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to study the impact of reducing distance to dedicated PA spaces on outdoor play and sedentary behavior, and to evaluate if these effects were similar between population subgroups.MethodsWe included 1841 Dutch children from the Generation R Study who participated at two subsequent measurement waves when the children were, on average, 6.0 and 9.7 years old. None of these children lived within 600 m of a dedicated PA space at baseline, and during follow-up 171 children became exposed to 13 new PA spaces within 600 m from home. Individual-level fixed-effects models were used to evaluate changes in distances (determined by Geographical Information Systems (GIS)) from home to the nearest new dedicated PA space, to parent-reported outdoor play and sedentary behavior.ResultsThe introduction of a dedicated PA space within 600 m from home, and the reduction of the distance per 100 m, did not affect outdoor play or sedentary behaviors. At p < 0.1, significant interaction terms were found between the introduction of the PA spaces and indicators of family socioeconomic position. Although not statistically significant, stratified analyses showed a consistent pattern, suggesting that reducing the distance to the nearest PA space increased outdoor play for children from parents with lower levels of education. However, they also showed a non-significant increase in sedentary behaviors for children from families with net household income below average Dutch income, and for children from a non-Dutch ethnicity.ConclusionsIntroducing dedicated PA spaces may be a promising approach to increase outdoor play for children from more socioeconomically disadvantaged families, but larger studies are needed to contribute to the evidence.     

Neighborhood walkability, physical activity, and walking behavior: the Swedish Neighborhood and Physical Activity (SNAP) study

More knowledge concerning the association between physical activity and objectively measured attributes of the built environment is needed. Previous studies on the association between objectively measured neighborhood walkability, physical activity, and walking have been conducted in the U.S. or Australia and research findings are available from only one country in Europe – Belgium. The first aim of this Swedish study of 2269 adults was to examine the associations between neighborhood walkability and walking for active transportation or leisure, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and whether these hypothesized associations are moderated by age, gender, income, marital status and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status. The second aim was to determine how much of the total variance of the walking and physical activity outcomes can be attributed to neighborhood-level differences. Neighborhood walkability was objectively measured by GIS methods. An index consisting of residential density, street connectivity, and land use mix was constructed to define 32 highly and less walkable neighborhoods in Stockholm City. MVPA was measured objectively during 7 days with an accelerometer and walking was assessed using the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Multilevel linear as well as logistic models (mixed-effects, mixed-distribution models) were used in the analysis. The statistically significant and “adjusted” results for individuals living in highly walkable neighborhoods, as compared to those living in less walkable neighborhoods, were: (1) 77% and 28% higher odds for walking for active transportation and walking for leisure, respectively, (2) 50 min more walking for active transportation/week, and (3) 3.1 min more MVPA/day. The proportion of the total variance at the neighborhood level was low and ranged between 0.0% and 2.1% in the adjusted models. The findings of the present study stress that future policies concerning the built environment must be based on context-specific evidence, particularly in the light of the fact that neighborhood redevelopments are time-consuming and expensive.     

Using mixed methods to understand women's parenting practices related to their child's outdoor play and physical activity among families living in diverse neighborhood environments

A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to understand parenting practices for outdoor play, their influence on adolescent's physical activity and outdoor play and the role of the neighborhood and child's sex. Adolescents (n = 263) and their parents completed questionnaires and wore accelerometers. Parents (n = 30) participated in in-depth interviews. Parenting practices were examined by neighborhood disadvantage and child's sex in quantitative (Chi-square and T-tests) and qualitative (comparative thematic analysis) samples. Multi-level linear mixed models examined the associations between parenting practices and two adolescent outcomes: physical activity and outdoor play. Parents in high disadvantage neighborhoods and of female adolescents imposed more restrictions on outdoor play. Restrictive parenting practices were negatively associated with outdoor play, but not physical activity. Policy and environment change that improves neighborhood conditions may be necessary to reduce parents' fear and lessen restrictions on outdoor play.     

Perceived Neighborhood Environments and physical activity in adolescents

BACKGROUND: There is a reason to believe that physical environments variables play an especially important role in the level of physical activity. Few studies have examined the association between environmental variables and level of physical activity in adolescents. OBJECTIVES: This study aims were: (1) to evaluate differences in perceived neighborhood environment according to physical activity level and (2) to determine which, if any, perceived neighborhood environmental variables were associated with reported physical activity levels in an adolescent population. METHODS: The sample comprised of 1123 adolescents, which were classified according to physical activity levels into actives (n = 589) and non-active (n = 534). A questionnaire assessed Perceived Neighborhood Environments. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire and used as the dependent variable. RESULTS: More active children were reported to more significantly (P < 0.05) agree with the importance of the accessibility of shops, the social environment, neighbors with recreational facilities, and aesthetics. Logistic regression analysis showed that aesthetic (OR = 1.302; P = 0.05) and recreational facilities (OR = 1.297; P = 0.05) domains were related to being physically active. CONCLUSIONS: Some perceived neighborhood environmental attributes were found to be associated with level of physical activity in adolescents.     

Neighborhood green, social support, physical activity, and stress: assessing the cumulative impact

We estimate the cumulative stress mitigating impact of neighborhood greenness by investigating whether neighborhood green mitigates stress directly, and indirectly by encouraging physical activity and/or fostering social support. Using data from a recent community health survey in Chicago and two-stage instrumental variables regression modeling, we find that different components of neighborhood green play distinct roles in influencing stress. Park spaces are found to indirectly mitigate stress by fostering social support. Overall neighborhood vegetation is found to have direct stress mitigation impact, yet the impact is counteracted by its negative effect on social support. When comparing the effect size, park spaces show a more positive impact on health and well-being than the overall neighborhood vegetation level. Policy makers are recommended to focus on creating structured green spaces with public recreation and socialization opportunities rather than simply conserving green spaces in the neighborhood. Previous studies, as they often investigate the direct impact only and rarely use multiple measures of greenness, may have mis-estimated health benefits of neighborhood green.