Active Travel to School and Physical Activity Levels of Irish Primary Schoolchildren

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine M. Murtagh ◽  
Marie H. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Active Commuting ◽  
Daily Step ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Active Commuting To School ◽  
Primary Schoolchildren ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Active Travel To School ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the physical activity levels of 9–11 year old children, and (2) compare the activity levels of children who commute to school by active and passive modes. 140 children aged 9–11 years (85 boys) were recruited from four urban Irish schools. Mode of commuting was assessed by questionnaire. Step counts were measured for 4 consecutive days. Mean daily step counts for the sample were 14386 ± 5634. Boys were significantly more active than girls (15857 ± 5482 vs. 12113 ± 5127 steps). Eighty-seven children (62.1%) traveled by car, 51 children (36.4%) walked to school, one child traveled by bus and one child cycled. Children who walked or cycled to school had higher daily step counts than those who traveled by passive modes (16118 ± 5757 vs. 13363 ± 5332 steps). Active commuting to school may therefore represent a worthwhile strategy for improving children’s physical activity levels.

scholarly journals Pedometer-determined physical activity among primary schoolchildren in Kuala Lumpur

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-123
Author(s):  
Bee Suan Wee ◽  
Awang Bulgiba ◽  
Abd. Talib Ruzita ◽  
Mohd. Noor Ismail ◽  
Bee Koon Poh
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Daily Step ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Primary Schoolchildren ◽  
Physical Activity Levels

Objective: The aim of this study was to objectively measure physical activity and its association with sociodemographic factors among Malaysian primary school-age children. Methods: A total of 111 primary school children in Kuala Lumpur were selected through random sampling. Activity pattern was determined using pedometers and differences by sex, ethnicity and body mass index categories were analysed. The relationship between pedometer-determined physical activity and sociodemographic factors were also studied. Results: Overall, boys attained significantly higher daily step counts than girls (9573 ± 4145 vs 7313 ± 2697). Significant difference in daily step counts between boys and girls were observed during weekdays ( p<0.01), weekends ( p<0.05) and total mean step counts ( p<0.01). Malay ethnicity showed higher daily step counts during weekdays than weekends ( p<0.05). Compared with boys, girls had higher odds (OR=5.58; 95% CI 1.12, 27.77) of not meeting the recommended daily step counts. Those who had low physical activity levels had higher odds (OR=15.75; 95% CI 1.78, 139.33) of not meeting recommended daily step counts than children who had moderate physical activity level. Conclusion: Boys were significantly more active than girls and physical activity was greater during weekdays than on weekends. The primary schoolchildren in Kuala Lumpur were sedentary, with minimum physical activity being observed. Differences in sexes and physical activity levels influenced pedometer step counts in children.

scholarly journals Active Commuting to School and Physical Activity Levels among 11 to 16 Year-Old Adolescents from 63 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1276
Author(s):  
Miguel Peralta ◽  
Duarte Henriques-Neto ◽  
Joana Bordado ◽  
Nuno Loureiro ◽  
Susana Diz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Active Commuting ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Active Commuting To School ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Global physical activity levels are low. Active commuting to school is a low-cost and sustainable behaviour that promotes adolescents’ physical activity levels. Despite its importance, data on low- and middle-income countries is scarce. This study aimed to assess the relationship between active commuting to school and physical activity (PA) levels among 11–16 years-old adolescents from 63 low- and middle-income countries and six world regions. Methods: Data were from the GSHS database. Participants were 187,934 adolescents (89,550 boys), aged 11–16 years-old, from 63 low- and middle-income countries. Active commuting to school and PA were self-reported as the number of days adolescents walked or cycled to school and engaged in physical activity for at least 60 min in the past 7 days. Results: Boys and girls who actively commuted to school presented higher prevalence of attaining the PA recommendations, but only for the 13–14 (boys: 16.6% versus 22.0%; girls: 9.8% versus 14.6%) and 15–16 (boys: 16.3% versus 21.6%; girls: 8.0% versus 14.0%) year-old age groups. Only for Oceania, Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African girls and Sub-Saharan African boys no difference was found in the prevalence of attaining the PA recommendations between those who actively commuted to school and those who did not. Boys who actively commuted to school were 42% (95% CI: 1.37, 1.46) more likely to achieve the PA recommendations, while girls were 66% (95% CI: 1.59, 1.73) more likely to achieve the PA recommendations. Conclusions: Active commuting to school is associated with the adolescents’ physical activity levels. However, it may have a lesser influence in helping younger adolescents attaining physical activity recommendations. Public health authorities should promote active commuting to school among adolescents in order to improve the PA levels and promote health.

scholarly journals Forecasting Diabetes Cases Prevented and Cost Savings Associated with Population Increases of Walking in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8127
Author(s):  
Kathy Kornas ◽  
Laura C. Rosella ◽  
Ghazal S. Fazli ◽  
Gillian L. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Diabetes Prevention ◽  
Health Care Cost ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Daily Step ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Physical Activity Levels

Promoting adequate levels of physical activity in the population is important for diabetes prevention. However, the scale needed to achieve tangible population benefits is unclear. We aimed to estimate the public health impact of increases in walking as a means of diabetes prevention and health care cost savings attributable to diabetes. We applied the validated Diabetes Population Risk Tool (DPoRT) to the 2015/16 Canadian Community Health Survey for adults aged 18–64, living in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, Ontario, Canada. DPoRT was used to generate three population-level scenarios involving increases in walking among individuals with low physical activity levels, low daily step counts and high dependency on non-active forms of travel, compared to a baseline scenario (no change in walking rates). We estimated number of diabetes cases prevented and health care costs saved in each scenario compared with the baseline. Each of the three scenarios predicted a considerable reduction in diabetes and related health care cost savings. In order of impact, the largest population benefits were predicted from targeting populations with low physical activity levels, low daily step counts, and non active transport use. Population increases of walking by 25 min each week was predicted to prevent up to 10.4 thousand diabetes cases and generate CAD 74.4 million in health care cost savings in 10 years. Diabetes reductions and cost savings were projected to be higher if increases of 150 min of walking per week could be achieved at the population-level (up to 54.3 thousand diabetes cases prevented and CAD 386.9 million in health care cost savings). Policy, programming, and community designs that achieve modest increases in population walking could translate to meaningful reductions in the diabetes burden and cost savings to the health care system.

Effects of Group- and Individual-Based Step Goals on Children’s Physical Activity Levels in School

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minsoo Kang ◽  
Thomas M. Brinthaupt
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
School Based ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity ◽  
Over Time

This study examined the effect of a 6-week school-based pedometer intervention for children. It compared the number of step counts between group- and individual-based step goal conditions over time, and compared the number of goal attainments between the two step goal conditions by physical activity levels. Ninety-nine 4th-grade students’ (50 boys, 49 girls) data were analyzed. Overall step counts continued to increase over time, increasing about 19% from baseline. Different step goal conditions produced similar effects on children’s physical activity levels across all time points. The number of goal attainments was higher for low active children with individual-based step goals than those with group-based step goals. Using pedometers in school is promising for enhancing physical activity in children.

scholarly journals Validation of Parent Proxy Report with Pedometry on Preschool Children's Physical activity

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-74
Author(s):  
Bik C. CHOW ◽  
Yung Ching AU
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Proxy Report ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Habitual Activity ◽  
Parent Proxy Report ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Activity Estimation ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity ◽  
Parent Proxy

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Habitual Activity Estimation Scale (HAES) as parent proxy report about the physical activity levels of five- to six-years-old children. Twenty-three children were randomly selected from upper classes in a preschool in Hong Kong. The children's physical activity levels on one typical weekday and one typical weekend were obtained by having their parents completed the HAES questionnaire. And daily steps taken by children on four consecutive days including weekdays and weekend were collected by the pedometer (Yamax, SW-700). The pedometer data were used to assess its agreement with the HAES parent proxy report of the children's physical activity levels. The results showed that the step counts of children between weekdays and weekend as well as between genders were not significantly different. The result also indicated that there was no significant correlation between the HAES proxy report and the daily step counts of children on both weekdays and weekend. To conclude, the validity of HAES parent proxy report in assessing five-years-old preschool children's physical activity levels was low when compared with pedometer data. 本研究旨在評估由家長觀察兒童使用「Habitual Activity Estimation Scale (HAES)日常活動推算表」的有效度，邀請了二十三名五至六歲的幼稚圍生參與作為觀察之用，他們的父母觀察及記錄兒童於上課日和非上課日的日常活動，並以步行計記錄身體活動量來作分析。結果顯示：Habitual Activity Estimation Scale (HAES)和步行計的相關系數沒有出現顯著的相關，指出了Habitual Activity Estimation Scale (HAES)的效度不高。

scholarly journals Mode of Commuting to School and Its Association with Physical Activity and Sedentary Habits in Young Ecuadorian Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 2704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaira Barranco-Ruiz ◽  
Alfredo Guevara-Paz ◽  
Robinson Ramírez-Vélez ◽  
Palma Chillón ◽  
Emilio Villa-González
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Central Region ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Daily Physical Activity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Active Commuting ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Older Adolescents ◽  
Commuting Distance

Active commuting to and from school (ACS) could help to increase daily physical activity levels in youth; however, this association remains unknown in Ecuadorian youth. Thus, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the patterns of commuting to and from school and (2) to analyze the associations between ACS, physical activity (PA), and sedentary habits in Ecuadorian youth. A total of 732 students (65.3% males), aged 10–18 years (children = 246, young adolescents = 310, older adolescents = 162) from the central region of Ecuador participated in this study. A self-report questionnaire, including the usual mode and frequency of commuting, distance from home to school (PACO-Questionnaire), and PA and sedentary habits (YAP-Questionnaire), was used. Most of the sample lived ≤2 km from school; however, they were mainly passive commuters (96%). The most common mode of commuting was by car (to school = 43.4%, from school = 31.6%; p < 0.001). Children presented significantly higher scores (0–4) in PA outside school and total PA compared with older adolescents (2.20 ± 0.97 vs. 1.97 ± 0.96; p = 0.013 and 2.30 ± 0.76 vs. 2.09 ± 0.74, p = 0.019, respectively), as well as the lowest scores in sedentary habits (1.51 ± 0.65, p < 0.001). PA at school and total PA were positively associated with ACS (OR 3.137; 95% CI, 1.918 to 5.131; p < 0.001, and OR 2.543; 95% CI, 1.428 to 4.527; p = 0.002, respectively). In conclusion, passive modes of transportation were the most frequently used to commute to and from school in young Ecuadorians. PA at school and total PA were positively associated with ACS. Thus, interventions at school setting could be an opportunity to improve PA levels and additionally ACS in youth from the central region of Ecuador.

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

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4405 ◽  
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.

Physical Activity in Preschool Children With the Transition to Outdoors

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell R. Pate ◽  
Marsha Dowda ◽  
William H. Brown ◽  
Jonathan Mitchell ◽  
Cheryl Addy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Outdoor Play ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Minute Period ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Trained Observers ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity ◽  
Observation Period

Background:It is known that children are more physically active outdoors than indoors. However, few previous studies have observed the time course for physical activity as young children transition from indoor to outdoor activities.Methods:Participants were 3- to 5-year-old children enrolled in the Children’s Activity and Movement in Preschool Study (CHAMPS). Trained observers used the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool Version (OSRAC-P) to record children’s physical activity levels over 20 minutes in outdoor settings. The 20-minute outdoor observational period began immediately following the transition from indoors to outdoors.Results:Children’s activity levels were moderately high at the time of transition and declined over the 20-minute observation period. Different patterns, however, were observed for boys and girls. Overall, boys were more active than girls. Boys’ activity levels declined in a linear fashion over the 20-minute period, while girls’ activity levels increased slightly, decreased, and then increased slightly again.Conclusions:These data indicate that physical activity levels decline with increased duration of outdoor play. The frequency and duration of outdoor play should be investigated for the purpose of optimizing physical activity levels.

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