scholarly journals Association Between School- and Nonschool-Based Activity Programs and Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 971-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel R. Taber ◽  
June Stevens ◽  
Leslie A. Lytle ◽  
Robyn D. Foreman ◽  
Jamie Moody ◽  
...  

Background:Some researchers have questioned if activity programs would be more effective if based outside school (eg, community leagues) rather than within schools. This study compared participation in activity programs based within and outside of school, and estimated the associations between participation and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescent girls.Methods:Within the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls, independent samples of 1559 6th-grade girls (age 11 to 12) and 3282 8th-grade girls (age 13 to 14) reported program participation using questionnaires. MVPA was measured using accelerometers. Linear mixed models accounted for school and site clustering.Results:Sixth-grade girls reported 5 times as many programs outside school as within school (4.1 vs. 0.8); daily MVPA was 0.29 minutes higher (1.2% of the mean) for each additional program outside school. Compared with 6th-grade girls, 8th-grade girls participated in 1.3 fewer programs outside school, while programs’ association with MVPA was unchanged. Conversely, school programs’ association with MVPA was greater in 8th grade. Daily MVPA was 1.33 minutes higher per school program, and participation declined 0.13.Conclusion:Programs within and outside schools can both increase activity among adolescent girls. Intervention research should focus on increasing participation in school programs, and increasing movement during programs outside school.

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. S129-S138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Cohen ◽  
Scott Ashwood ◽  
Molly Scott ◽  
Adrian Overton ◽  
Kelly R. Evenson ◽  
...  

Background:Proximity to routine destinations is an important correlate of physical activity. We examined the association between distance from school and physical activity in adolescent girls.Methods:We mapped the addresses of 1554 sixth-grade girls who participated in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) Study and calculated the shortest distance from home to school along the street network. Using a hierarchical design we examined the association between MET-weighted moderate to vigorous physical activity (MW- MVPA) and distance to school, while controlling for potential confounders.Results:Distance to school was inversely associated with weekday MW- MVPA for middle school girls. For every mile the girls lived from their schools, they engaged in an average of 13 fewer MET-weighted minutes per week.Conclusions:Distance to school is inversely associated with MW-MVPA. The most adversely affected girls lived more than 5 miles from school. Time spent commuting could explain reduced time for physical activity.


2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 719-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Cohen ◽  
Molly Scott ◽  
Frank Zhen Wang ◽  
Thomas L. McKenzie ◽  
Dwayne Porter

Building design and grounds might contribute to physical activity, and youth spend much of their daylight hours at school. We examined the associations among school building footprints, the size of school grounds, and in-school physical activity of 1566 sixth-grade girls from medium to large middle schools enrolled in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG). The school building footprint and the number of active outdoor amenities were associated with physical activity among adolescent girls. On average, the school footprint size accounted for 4% of all light physical activity and 16% of all MET-weight moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MW-MVPA) during school hours. Active outdoor amenities accounted for 29% of all MW-MVPA during school. School design appears to be associated with physical activity, but it is likely that programming (eg, physical education, intramurals, club sports), social factors, and school siting are more important determinants of total physical activity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 950-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Young ◽  
Brit I. Saksvig ◽  
Tong Tong Wu ◽  
Kathleen Zook ◽  
Xia Li ◽  
...  

Background:We examined associations among multilevel variables and girls’ physical activity to determine whether they vary at different adolescent ages.Methods:All field sites of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls contributed participants from 6th (n = 1576) and 8th grades (n = 3085). The Maryland site contributed an 11th grade sample (n = 589). Questionnaires were used to obtain demographic and psychosocial information (individual- and social-level variables); height, weight, and triceps skinfold to assess body composition; interviews and surveys for school-level data; and geographical information systems and self-report for neighborhood-level variables. Moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes (MVPA) were assessed from accelerometers. Mixed models (13 individual, 5 social, 15 school, 12 neighborhood variables) were used to determine multilevel associations.Results:Variables at individual, social, school, and neighborhood levels were associated with MVPA, but differed across grades. Lower percent body fat, higher social support from friends, and lower school math scores were associated with higher MVPA at 6th and 8th grade. Higher physical activity self-efficacy was associated with higher MVPA at 11th grade. Only lower physical activity barriers were associated with higher MVPA at all grades.Conclusion:MVPA is a complex behavior with fluid, multilevel correlates that differ among girls across middle and high school.


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell R. Pate ◽  
Marsha Dowda ◽  
Jennifer R. O’Neill ◽  
Dianne S. Ward

Background:Physical activity levels of girls decline in adolescence, but little is known about changes in participation in specific types of physical activity. This study examined change in participation in specific activities during adolescence in girls.Methods:Girls (N = 398, age 13.6 ± 0.6 y at baseline, 58.5% African American) from 31 middle and 24 high schools in South Carolina completed the 3-Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR) in 8th, 9th, and 12th grades. Girls reported their predominant activity and its intensity level in each 30-min time block on the previous 3 d.Results:Vigorous physical activity declined from 45.4% in 8th grade to 34.1% in 12th grade. The probability of participating in several forms of vigorous physical activity in 12th grade was strongly associated with participation in those activities in 8th grade.Conclusion:Early-in-life participation in sports and other forms of vigorous physical activity are important to the maintenance of physical activity during adolescence in girls.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Gehris ◽  
Elizabeth Myers ◽  
Robert Whitaker

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.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-99
Author(s):  
Fabio Eduardo Fontana ◽  
Michael Pereira da Silva ◽  
Ripley Marston ◽  
Kevin Finn ◽  
Jere Gallagher

The purpose of this study was to establish step-count guidelines for sixth-grade students and assess the ability of step-counts to discriminate between students achieving and not achieving 60-minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. 201 sixth-grade students completed the study. They wore a pedometer and an accelerometer at the waist level for one full day. ROC curves were used to establish step-count guidelines and determine the diagnostic accuracy of step-counts. Sixth grade students need 12,118 steps/day to reach adequate daily levels of physical activity. The AUC indicated good diagnostic accuracy of step-counts. Suggested step-count guidelines can be a useful tool for identifying children who need to increase their daily levels of physical activity. The step-count cutoff proposed in this study is adequate for discriminating between sixth grade students reaching and not reaching recommended levels of physical activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 612-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palma Chillón ◽  
Manuel Herrador-Colmenero ◽  
Jairo H. Migueles ◽  
Verónica Cabanas-Sánchez ◽  
Jorge R. Fernández-Santos ◽  
...  

Aims: The purposes of this research were to study the convergent validity of the Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire using objectively assessed steps and time spent in different physical activity intensities and to compare the self-reported versus objective journey time in Spanish youths. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-nine Spanish youth aged 7–19 years were asked to complete the questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for five days. The objective commuting distance and time from home to school were estimated using Google MapsTM. Results: There were significant differences between passive and walking participants on step numbers, sedentary time and physical activity levels (except for vigorous physical activity in children). For children, a mean difference of −4.03 minutes between objective measured and self-reported journey time was found (95% limits of agreement were 13.55 and −21.60 minutes). For adolescents, the mean difference was −1.39 minutes (95% limits of agreement were 15.23 and −18.02 minutes). Conclusions: The findings indicated that the Mode of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire showed a convergent validity to assess this behaviour in Spanish youths. Self-reported journey time for walking is comparable to Google MapsTM in adolescents but not in children.


Author(s):  
Lexie R. Beemer ◽  
Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa ◽  
Gabriel DellaVecchia ◽  
Rebecca E. Hasson

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding game design elements (goal setting, feedback, and external rewards) to an evidence-based physical activity intervention to increase in-class physical activity participation (intensity of activity breaks performed). Nine third- through sixth-grade classrooms (n = 292 students) in one elementary-middle school in Detroit, Michigan (49% female, 95% nonwhite; 80% qualified for free/reduced lunch) participated in this 20-week intervention where teachers implemented 5 × 4 min moderate-to-vigorous activity breaks per day. Gamification of activity breaks occurred during weeks 13–20 of the intervention and included the use of game design elements and classroom goals for activity break intensity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during activity breaks was measured via direct observation. There was a significant effect of intervention with a 27% increase in student MVPA participation during the gamified intervention weeks compared with the standard intervention weeks (p = 0.03). Gamification of activity breaks resulted in 55% (compared with 25% during the standard intervention) of students accumulating approximately 20 min of health-enhancing physical activity per day in their classroom. These findings provide preliminary evidence that gamifying activity breaks may be an important strategy for increasing student participation in classroom activity breaks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunga Kong ◽  
Hye Yun Park ◽  
Danbee Kang ◽  
Jae Kyung Lee ◽  
Genehee Lee ◽  
...  

We aim to examine how season and temperature levels affect physical activity using a wearable device among patients scheduled to undergo surgical resection of lung cancer. Physical activity (PA) data from the wearable device were analyzed by seasons for 555 preoperative lung cancer patients from the CATCH-LUNG cohort study. The seasons were divided into spring, summer, autumn, and winter using the study enrollment date before surgery. The overall mean (SD) age was 61.1 (8.9) years, and the mean (SD) daily steps at each season were 11,438 (5922), 11,147 (5065), 10,404 (4403), and 8548 (4293), respectively. In the fully-adjusted models, patients in the winter season had 27.04% fewer daily steps (95% CI = −36.68%, −15.93%) and 35.22% less time spent performing moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to patients in the spring. The proportion of participants with over 8000 steps and duration of MVPA were significantly lower in the winter than the spring. In particular, daily steps had a negative linear association with wind chill temperature in patients who lived in Seoul. In conclusion, PA was significantly lower in the winter and it was more robust in patients who had a low cardiorespiratory function.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric E. Wickel ◽  
Joey C. Eisenmann ◽  
Gregory J. Welk

Background:This study compared physical activity levels among early, average, and late maturing boys and girls.Methods:Physical activity was assessed with an Actigraph accelerometer in 161 (76 boys, 85 girls) 9 to 14 year olds over 7 consecutive days. Anthropometric variables were measured and the maturity offset (ie, years from peak height velocity) was predicted. Biological maturity groups (early, average, and late) were created based on the mean estimated age at peak height velocity for boys and girls separately.Results:Levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were similar between early, average, and late maturing boys and girls after adjusting for differences in chronological age. Levels of MVPA progressively declined across chronological age in boys and girls (P < .001) and gender differences existed at 10-, 12-, and 13-years, with boys having higher levels than girls (P < .05). When aligned according to biological age, gender-related differences in MVPA did not exist.Conclusions:Within this sample of 9 to 14 year old boys and girls, there were no significant differences in MVPA among early, average, and late maturing individuals.


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