An active school model to promote physical activity in elementary schools: Action schools! BC

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize physical activity (PA) environments in Georgia public elementary schools and to identify socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic disparities in PA environments. Design: A school setting PA survey was launched in 2013 to 2014 as a cross-sectional online survey assessing PA environment factors, including facility access and school PA practices, staff PA opportunities, parental involvement in school PA, and out-of-school PA opportunities. Setting: All 1333 Georgia public elementary schools were recruited. Participants: A total of 1083 schools (81.2%) responded. Survey respondents included school administrators, physical education (PE) teachers, and grade-level chairs. Measures: Physical activity environment factors were assessed via an online questionnaire adapted from school PA surveys and articles. Analysis: The chi-square and Fisher exact analyses were conducted to examine the reporting of PA environment factors overall and by school SES, as measured by free/reduced lunch rate, and/or racial/ethnic composition. Results: Overall, many PA environment factors were widely prevalent (ie, gym [99%] or field [79%] access), although some factors such as some PA-related programs (ie, a structured walk/bike program [11%]) were less widely reported. Disparities in school PA environment factors were largely patterned by SES, though they varied for some factors by racial/ethnic composition and across SES within racial/ethnic composition categories. For example, lower SES schools were less likely to report access to blacktops and tracks ( p-value < .0001), and higher SES schools were less likely to report access to playgrounds ( p-value = .0076). Lower SES schools were also less likely to report “always/often” giving access to PE/PA equipment during recess ( p-value < .01). Lower SES and majority nonwhite schools were less likely to report having joint use agreements with community agencies ( p-value < .0001). Conclusion: This study highlights SES and racial/ethnic disparities in PA environments in Georgia public elementary schools.

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Factors associated with the institutionalization of a physical activity program in Australian elementary schools

Translational Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/tbm/ibz126 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Bourke ◽

Toni A Hilland ◽

Melinda Craike

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary Schools ◽

School Context ◽

School Level ◽

Relative Advantage ◽

School Capacity ◽

Principal Characteristics ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Formal Program ◽

Physical Activity Programs

Abstract The health benefits of classroom-based physical activity programs may only be sustained if programs are continually implemented over time. Despite the importance of instituting physical activity programs to ensure their continued implementation, little is known about factors associated with institutionalization of programs at a school level. The purpose of this study is to examine how school context, principal characteristics, and program attributes are associated with the institutionalization of Bluearth Foundation’s Active Schools program in Australian elementary schools. Current principals from schools who participated in the Active Schools program between 2015 and 2017 reported the level of institutionalization of the program, school context, principal characteristics, and perceived attributes of the program. Univariate associations were calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Linear regression using backward deletion was used to calculate significant or marginally significant (p < .1) multivariate associations. Thirty of the 211 eligible principals participated in the study. School capacity (r = .617, p < .001); perceived student behavioral (r = .577, p < .001), health (r = .499, p < .001), and enjoyment benefits (r = .529, p < .001), relative advantage (r = .417, p = .022), observability (r = .385, p = .036), and having the program delivered by a Bluearth coach at the time of the study (η 2 = .426, p < .001) all had a significant positive univariate association with institutionalization. School capacity (β = 1.802, p = .001), observability (β = 0.902, p = .061), and having the program delivered by a Bluearth coach at the time of the study (β = 2.580, p = .003) remained significant in the final multivariate model. Results suggest that schools that have someone who can provide support implementing a program are more likely to institute the program into policies and practices. It is also important that school administrators have the tools to evaluate the benefits of physical activity programs and to perceive them as being beneficial for their students. However, schools may struggle to institutionalize physical activity programs after formal program delivery has concluded.

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A comprehensive physical activity promotion programme at elementary school: the effects on physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of physical activity

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980007223900 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 477-484 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Stefanie JM Verstraete ◽

Greet M Cardon ◽

Dirk LR De Clercq ◽

Ilse MM De Bourdeaudhuij

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary Schools ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Physical Activity Promotion ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Accelerometer Data ◽

Psychosocial Correlates ◽

Promotion Programme ◽

Activity Promotion

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of a comprehensive physical activity (PA) promotion programme in elementary schools on children's total PA levels, leisure-time PA, physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of PA.DesignA pre-test–post-test design over two school years.Setting and subjectsSixteen elementary schools (764 children, mean age: 11.2 ± 0.7 years) were randomly assigned to the intervention condition (n = 8) and the control condition (n = 8). The intervention included a health-related physical education programme, an extracurricular PA promotion programme and classroom-based PA education lessons. In the total sample, leisure-time PA, psychosocial correlates of PA and physical fitness were measured using a PA questionnaire and the Eurofit test battery. In a sub-sample, total PA levels were measured using an accelerometer.ResultsAccording to accelerometer data, children's moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels decreased less in the intervention schools than in the control schools (P < 0.01). The average time spent on MVPA decreased by 9 min per day in the intervention schools compared with 33 min per day in the control schools. Children in the intervention schools reported significantly more moderate PA in leisure time than the controls (P < 0.05). No overall improvement of physical fitness and no effects on the psychosocial correlates of PA were found.ConclusionsThe comprehensive PA promotion programme was successful in preventing a decline in children's total activity levels. Furthermore, the intervention increased children's PA engagement in leisure time. Therefore, implementation needs to be encouraged.

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Increasing children's physical activity levels during recess periods in elementary schools: the effects of providing game equipment

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckl008 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 415-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 208

Author(s):

Stefanie J. M. Verstraete ◽

Greet M. Cardon ◽

Dirk L. R. De Clercq ◽

Ilse M. M. De Bourdeaudhuij

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary Schools ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Physical Activity Levels ◽

Children’S Physical Activity

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NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS - DOES ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING LEAD TO CHANGE?

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1097/00005768-200305001-00990 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 35 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. S179

Author(s):

R E. Tanner ◽

J A. Doyle ◽

C Patel ◽

L J. Brandon

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary Schools ◽

Physical Activity Assessment ◽

Activity Assessment ◽

Nutrition And Physical Activity

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Effectiveness of a Two-Year Health-Related Physical Education Intervention in Elementary Schools

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education ◽

10.1123/jtpe.26.1.20 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 20-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Stefanie J.M. Verstraete ◽

Greet M. Cardon ◽

Dirk L.R. De Clercq ◽

Ilse M.M. De Bourdeaudhuij

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary Schools ◽

Physical Education ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Education Intervention ◽

Observation Data ◽

Accelerometer Data ◽

Activity Engagement ◽

Health Related ◽

Intervention Condition

The study aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-year health-related physical education intervention in a pretest-posttest design. Sixteen elementary schools (764 pupils, mean age: 11.2 ± 0.7) participated in the study. Schools were randomly assigned to the intervention condition (n = 8) and the control condition (n = 8). Making use of direct observation data gathered according to SOFIT (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time), the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity engagement during physical education classes was significantly higher in the intervention condition than in the control condition. Children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity engagement during physical education lessons increased with 14% in the intervention condition (from 42 to 56%). No significant effects were found on the accelerometer data. The health-related physical education intervention was found to be promising in promoting physical activity during physical education classes.

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