Why are children different in their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels? A multilevel analysis

Background:Recess is an opportunity for children to engage in daily physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the 12-month effects of a playground intervention on children’s moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) during morning and lunchtime recess.Methods:Four hundred and seventy children (232 boys, 238 girls) from 26 elementary schools participated in the study. Fifteen schools redesigned the playground environment using playground markings and physical structures. Eleven schools served as socioeconomic matched controls. Physical activity levels were quantified using heart rate and accelerometry at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months post-intervention. A 3-level (time, pupil, and school) multilevel analysis was used to determine the effects of the intervention across time on MVPA and VPA.Results:Positive yet nonsignificant intervention effects were found for MVPA and VPA during morning and lunchtime recess. Intervention children were more active during recess than control children. Interactions revealed that the intervention effect was stronger at 6 months than 12 months post-intervention.Conclusions:A playground markings and physical structures intervention had a positive effect on intervention children’s morning and lunchtime MVPA and VPA when assessed using heart rate and accelerometry, but this effect is strongest 6-months post-intervention and decreased between 6 months and 12 months.

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Physical activity levels during adventure-physical education lessons

European Physical Education Review ◽

10.1177/1356336x12440365 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 245-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jeffrey Gehris ◽

Elizabeth Myers ◽

Robert Whitaker

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Public Schools ◽

Physical Education ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Physical Development ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Instruction Time ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

The Mean

Adventure-physical education has been proposed to promote adolescents’ physical development, but little is known about physical activity levels during such lessons. Using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time, we observed students’ (ages 11–14 years) physical activity levels in co-educational classes during 43 adventure-physical education lessons at seven public schools. The mean percentage (±SD) of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was 28.3% (±16.3%). The greatest percentage of lesson time was spent in two activities—high elements (24.1% ± 36.5%) and initiatives (22.3% ± 32.4%). When data were aggregated across all lessons, 40.0% of the time in high elements and 13.7% of the time in initiatives was spent in MVPA. Of all MVPA time, 31.5% occurred in high elements and another 12.6% in initiatives. Compared with traditional physical education lessons, less time is spent in MVPA during adventure lessons. Efforts to increase MVPA should target high elements and initiative activities.

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Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time among Children and Adolescents in Morocco: A Cross-Sectional Study

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2018/8949757 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Issad Baddou ◽

Asmaa El Hamdouchi ◽

Imane El Harchaoui ◽

Kaoutar Benjeddou ◽

Naima Saeid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Guideline ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Objectively Measured

Background. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescent plays an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular health diseases, diabetes, and obesity in adulthood. However, little is known about physical activity levels (PA) and sedentary time among children and adolescents in Morocco. Objective. To examine gender, type of day, and age grade differences in objectively measured sedentary time, physical activity levels, and physical activity guideline attainment among children and adolescents in Morocco. Method. 172 children/adolescents (mean age = 10.92 ± 1.55 years, 49.4% are boys) were recruited for this study and wore a tri-axial accelerometer (GT3X+) for 7 consecutive days. Time spent in sedentary, PA levels, and daily steps were measured and compared according to gender, age grade, and the type of day (weekdays/weekends). Results. In weekdays children/adolescents spent more time in sedentary than weekends (p < 0.001). Boys were eight times more likely to meet the recommendation for at least 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day than girls (OR: 8.569; 95% [CI]: 4.23–17.32), p < 0.001. Conclusion. These findings highlight the need for effective and sustainable strategies and programs aiming to promote physical activity and to reduce sedentary behavior among children and adolescents in Morocco.

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Objectively assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels among primary school children in Norway: The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP)

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494818771207 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 46 (21_suppl) ◽

pp. 38-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wei Hai Deng ◽

Per Morten Fredriksen

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Linear Regression ◽

Primary School ◽

School Children ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Age Groups ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Physical Activity Levels

Aims: The objective was to investigate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels (MVPA) of primary school children at baseline of the Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP), Norway. Methods: Data on 2123 children aged 6–12 years were included for analysis (75% participation rate). Average minutes per day in MVPA was objectively measured using accelerometry based on seven-day averages. The sample was analysed for age-, sex-, socioeconomic-, and season-related patterns. A linear regression investigated the moderating effect of these factors as well as body mass index and waist circumference. Results: Some 86.5% of the sample had at least 60 min/day MVPA, averaging 90.7 min/day. The main differences in daily averages were between age groups 6½–9 and 10–12 ( p < .05). Boys (95.8 min/day, 95% CI: 94.1–97.5) were more active than girls (85.6 min/day, 95% CI: 83.9–87.2) in all age groups ( p < .0001). MVPA was lower by 3.5 min ( p < .0001) per additional year of age in the linear regression (R2 = 0.176) and was reduced by 20 min less per day in MVPA in the winter months compared with the summer months ( p < .0001). Conclusions: Physical activity levels are already in decline from 6–7 years old and are likely to continue to decline into adolescence. Interventions must therefore focus on primary school children.

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Impact of parents’ physical activity on preschool children’s physical activity: a cross-sectional study

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.4405 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e4405 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Chang Xu ◽

Minghui Quan ◽

Hanbin Zhang ◽

Chenglin Zhou ◽

PeiJie Chen

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Maternal Influence ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Paternal Influence ◽

Children’S Physical Activity

Purpose This study examined the associations of physical activity levels between parents and their pre-school children based on gender and weekday/weekend. Method A total of 247 parent-preschool child triads from Shanghai, China were analyzed. The children had a mean age of 57.5 ± 5.2 months. Both sedentary behavior and physical activity were measured in all participants using an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer over seven consecutive days from Monday through the following Sunday. A multivariate regression model was derived to identify significant relationships between parental and child physical activity according to gender and weekday/weekend. Results There was a significant correlation between mothers’ and girls’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total physical activity (TPA) on weekdays. Fathers’ MPVA levels correlated significantly with those of boys and girls, with paternal influence appearing to be stronger than maternal influence. However, there was not a significant correlation between fathers’ and children’s TPA. TPA levels of both mothers and fathers correlated with those of girls, but not with those of boys. Parental sedentary levels on the weekend correlated significantly with girls’ levels, but not with boys’ levels. Children’s physical activity levels on weekends were influenced more by fathers’ activity levels than by mothers’, while the opposite was observed on weekdays. Conclusion Sedentary behavior and physical activity levels of parents can strongly influence those of their preschool children, with maternal influence stronger during the weekdays and paternal influence stronger on the weekends. Parents’ activity levels influence girls’ levels more strongly than they influence boys’ levels.

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Physical activity during school recess: A missed opportunity to be active?

Health Education Journal ◽

10.1177/0017896919859044 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 78 (8) ◽

pp. 988-999

Author(s):

Pablo Tercedor ◽

Víctor Segura-Jiménez ◽

Manuel Ávila García ◽

Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Status ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Activity Intensity ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Physical Activity Recommendations ◽

School Recess ◽

Activity Recommendations

Objective:The goals of this study were to (1) describe physical activity levels during school recess in 8-year-old children, (2) analyse the percentage of children who achieved physical activity recommendation at recess, and (3) examine if recess physical activity levels varied by gender, weight status, and parental educational level.Methods:In all, 291 children (mean age ± SD = 8.3 ± 0.3 years, 156 boys) from 7 schools of Granada (Spain) were recruited by convenience. To analyse sedentary time and physical activity levels during recess, children wore a tri-axial accelerometer attached to the wrist over five consecutive school days.Results:Sedentary time (29.6% vs 40%) and light physical activity (33.2% vs 35.5%) were lower in boys than in girls (all p < .001). Conversely, moderate physical activity (26.7% vs 20%), vigorous physical activity (10.5% vs 4.4%) and moderate-vigorous physical activity (37.2% vs 24.4%) were higher in boys than in girls (all p < .001). Only 12% of the children accomplished the moderate-vigorous physical activity recommendations during recess (21.2% boys vs 1.5% girls). Lower body mass index values were associated with higher vigorous physical activity intensity.Conclusions:Levels of moderate-vigorous physical activity during school recess are very low in children, being lower in girls than in boys, a very low percentage of children achieve moderate-vigorous physical activity recommendations during school recess, and girls and overweight/obese children show lower values in moderate-vigorous and vigorous physical activity.

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Gender and School-Level Differences in Students’ Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity Levels When Taught Basketball Through the Tactical Games Model

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education ◽

10.1123/jtpe.2016-0089 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 349-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stephen Harvey ◽

Megan L. Smith ◽

Yang Song ◽

David Robertson ◽

Renee Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Education ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

School Level ◽

Fifth Grade ◽

Elementary Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cognitive Components ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Tactical Games

The Tactical Games Model (TGM) prefaces the cognitive components of physical education (PE), which has implications for physical activity (PA) accumulation. PA recommendations suggest students reach 50% moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, this criterion does not indicate the contribution from vigorous physical activity (VPA). Consequently, this study investigated: a) the effects of TGM delivery on MVPA/VPA and, b) gender/school level differences. Participants were 78 seventh and 96 fourth/fifth grade coeducational PE students from two different schools. Two teachers taught 24 (middle) and 30 (elementary) level one TGM basketball lessons. Students wore Actigraph GT3× triaxial accelerometers. Data were analyzed using four one-way ANOVAs. Middle school boys had significantly higher MVPA/VPA (34.04/22.37%) than girls (25.14/15.47%). Elementary school boys had significantly higher MVPA/VPA (29.73/18.33%) than girls (23.03/14.33%). While TGM lessons provide a context where students can accumulate VPA consistent with national PA recommendations, teachers need to modify lesson activities to enable equitable PA participation.

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Objectively Quantified Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Predicting Visceral Adiposity and Liver Fat

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2016/2719014 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Shelley E. Keating ◽

Helen M. Parker ◽

Toby G. Pavey ◽

Michael K. Baker ◽

Ian D. Caterson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Liver Lipid ◽

Habitual Physical Activity ◽

Liver Fat ◽

Moderate Activity ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Physical Activity Levels

Objective. Epidemiologic studies suggest an inverse relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and self-reported physical activity levels. However, subjective measurements can be inaccurate and prone to reporter bias. We investigated whether objectively quantified physical activity levels predicted liver fat and VAT in overweight/obese adults.Methods. Habitual physical activity was measured by triaxial accelerometry for four days (n=82). Time spent in sedentary behavior (MET < 1.6) and light (MET 1.6 < 3), moderate (MET 3 < 6), and vigorous (MET 6 < 9) physical activity was quantified. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy were used to quantify visceral and liver fat. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed.Results. There were no associations between physical activity or sedentary behavior and liver lipid. Sedentary behavior and moderate and vigorous physical activity accounted for just 3% of variance for VAT (p=0.14) and 0.003% for liver fat (p=0.96). Higher levels of VAT were associated with time spent in moderate activity (r=0.294,p=0.007), but there was no association with sedentary behavior. Known risk factors for obesity-related NAFLD accounted for 62% and 40% of variance in VAT and liver fat, respectively (p<0.01).Conclusion. Objectively measured levels of habitual physical activity and sedentary behavior did not influence VAT or liver fat.

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Student Physical Activity Levels during a Season of Sport Education

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.14.1.64 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 64-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Peter A. Hastie ◽

Stewart G. Trost

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Skill Level ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Sport Education ◽

Seventh Grade ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Physical Activity Levels

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which sport education can provide students with sufficient opportunities for developing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Nineteen seventh-grade boys (average age = 12.9 yrs.) participated in a 22-lesson season of floor hockey. For all students (both higher and lower skilled), students averaged a total of 31.6 min of MVPA during the season, or 63.2% of lesson time. Further, there was no significant difference according to skill level {33.4 min (Higher) vs. 30.4 min (Lower), nor were there any significant differences in MVPA levels across the phases of the season.

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