Playground Characteristics to Encourage Children to Visit and Play

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1201-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack L. Nasar ◽  
Christopher H. Holloman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Multidimensional Scaling ◽  
Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling ◽  
African American Children ◽  
Surface Study ◽  
American Children ◽  
The One ◽  
Children's Activities ◽  
Similarity Scores

Background:The research sought to find the salient perceived characteristics of playgrounds for African-American children and their parents, and to test effects of changes in those characteristics on playground choice.Methods:Thirty-one African-American children and their parents sorted 15 photographs of playgrounds for similarity. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling on the similarity scores and correlations between the resulting dimensions and judged characteristics of each playground revealed salient perceived characteristics. Study 2 had 40 African-American children and their parents view pairs of photographs, manipulated on the salient characteristics, and pick the one to play on (child question) or for the child to play on (parent question). A third study inventoried and observed children’s activities in 14 playgrounds.Results:Study 1 found seats, fence, playground type, and softness of surface as salient perceived characteristics of the playground. Study 2 found that participants were more likely to pick playgrounds with equipment and playgrounds with a softer surface. Study 3 found higher levels of physical activity for playground settings with equipment.Conclusions:The findings confirm correlational findings on the desirability of equipment and safety. Communities need to test the effects of changes in playgrounds.

Accelerometer Response to Physical Activity Intensity in Normal-Weight Versus Overweight African American Children

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 682-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Arvidsson ◽  
Mark Fitch ◽  
Mark L. Hudes ◽  
Catrine Tudor-Locke ◽  
Sharon E. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Fat Free Mass ◽  
African American Children ◽  
Overweight Children ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
American Children

Background:Different movement efficiency in overweight children may affect accelerometer output data. The purpose was to investigate the ability of accelerometers to assess physical activity intensity and number of steps in normal-weight compared with overweight children.Methods:Eleven normal-weight and 14 overweight African American children walked at 2, 4, 5, and 6 km/h on a treadmill wearing Lifecorder, ActiGraph, RT3, and Biotrainer. Oxygen uptake was measured and steps manually counted. Fat free mass (FFM) was assessed from bioelectrical impedance analysis. Accelerometer counts and the individual linear regression lines of accelerometer counts versus VO2/FFM were evaluated, together with steps recorded by Lifecorder and Actigraph.Results:Correlations between accelerometer counts and VO2/FFM for all monitors were r ≥ .95 (P < .01). The accelerometer counts and their relationship to VO2/FFM did not generally differ significantly by body weight status. Lifecorder and Actigraph underestimated steps at 4, 5, and 6 km/h by less than 9%, but the error was up to −95% at 2 km/h.Conclusions:All 4 accelerometers show high ability to assess physical activity intensity, and can be used to compare physical activity between normal-weight and overweight children. The Lifecorder and the ActiGraph showed high accuracy in assessing steps, providing speed of movement exceeded 2 km/h.

Perceptions of Food Intake, Physical Activity, and Obesity Among African-American Children in the Lower Mississippi Delta

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernestine B. McGee ◽  
Valerie Richardson ◽  
Glenda Johnson ◽  
Crystal Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Food Intake ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Mississippi Delta ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
African American Children ◽  
Environmental Determinants ◽  
American Children

Purpose. To explore the nutrition and physical activity perceptions of children for planning a healthy weight curriculum to address childhood obesity in African-American children living in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). Design. Six children’s focus group sessions. Setting. Two Louisiana parishes in the LMD. Subjects. Seventy 8- to 13-year-old African-American children, 46 (66%) females and 24 (44%) males, participated in the focus group sessions. Measures. Interview questions were based on personal and environmental determinants and content and strategies for a healthy lifestyle program for children. Analysis. Focus group discussions were audio recorded and transcribed, observer recorded, and analyzed to identify recurring trends and patterns among focus groups. Content analysis consisted of coding focus group transcripts for recurrent themes and review of data by an independent reviewer to confirm the themes. Results. Emerging themes were categorized as healthy lifestyle opinions within the social cognitive theory constructs of personal and environmental determinants and curriculum content. Conclusion. LMD youth recognized a healthy eating pattern and that overweight and obesity result from poor eating habits and physical inactivity. Children’s food intake pattern did not reflect this understanding, suggesting a need for culturally tailoring an intervention to impact the poor food intake and physical inactivity in two low-income African-American Delta communities.

EVALUATION OF METHODS TO ASSESS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ENERGY EXPENDITURE IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN

1998 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
F. A. Ram??rez-Marrero ◽  
B. A. Smith ◽  
T. E. Kirby ◽  
W. M. Sherman ◽  
M. I. Goran
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
African American Children ◽  
American Children ◽  
Evaluation Of Methods
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