scholarly journals Physical Activity and Fundamental Motor Skill Performance of 5–10 Year Old Children in Three Different Playgrounds

Author(s):  
Jessie Adams ◽  
Jenny Veitch ◽  
Lisa Barnett

Playgrounds provide opportunities for children to engage in physical activity and develop their fundamental motor skills. The aim of this descriptive pilot study was to examine whether playground design facilitated different levels of physical activity and fundamental motor skills. Children aged 5 to 10 (n = 57) were recruited from three independent playgrounds located in Melbourne (Australia). Whilst playing, children wore accelerometers which measured time spent in physical activity and direct observations recorded fundamental motor skills and play equipment use. A general linear model with playground type as the predictor and adjusting for monitor wear-time identified whether mean time in physical activity was different for the three playgrounds. Frequencies and a one-way ANOVA assessed whether the observed mean number of fundamental motor skills varied between playgrounds. On average, 38.1% of time (12.0 min) was spent in moderate- vigorous-intensity physical activity. Children in the traditional playground (n = 16) engaged in more moderate-intensity physical activity (9.4 min) than children in the adventure playground (n = 21), (5.6 min) (p = 0.027). There were no significant associations with vigorous-intensity physical activity or fundamental motor skills between playgrounds. Children performed few fundamental motor skills but used a wider variety of equipment in the contemporary and adventure playgrounds. Playgrounds need to maximise opportunities for children to engage in physical activity and develop fundamental motor skills.

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua R Sparks ◽  
Xuewen F Wang

Background: Glucose concentrations in a fasted and during a glucose challenged state rely on different mechanisms for regulation. In a fasted state, hepatic regulation of glucose is important; while in a glucose challenged state, muscle glucose disposal becomes more important. Evidence suggests that physical activity of moderate or higher intensities can increase muscle glucose disposal during an insulin-stimulated state, but has less effect on hepatic insulin sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between glucose concentrations (fasting and after an oral glucose ingestion) and minutes of physical activity at moderate- and vigorous-intensity in a large population. Methods: The sample included 2,807 adults (47.4% male and 52.6% female) aged 18-80 years who participated in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2013-2014 and who did not take any diabetic medications. Minutes being physically active at moderate- and vigorous-intensities during work, and recreationally, were collected using the Physical Activity Questionnaire, which was based on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Moderate-intensity physical activity was defined as any activity that caused a small increase in breathing or heart rate, while vigorous-intensity physical activity was defined as large increases in breathing or heart rate. Both intensities had to be performed for a minimum of 10 continuous minutes. Plasma glucose concentrations at fasting and 2 hours after consumption of a drink containing 75g glucose (2-hour glucose) were determined. Pearson product correlations were performed for analysis. Results: The population had 141±133 (mean±SD) minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity during work and 63±56 minutes recreationally, as well as 174±156 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity during work and 77±56 minutes recreationally. Minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity performed during work was associated with 2-hour plasma glucose concentrations (r=0.15; p=0.045); this association was not affected after adjusting for age, race, and sex (p=0.049), but was no longer significant after BMI was also adjusted (p=0.059). Recreational or total minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, and moderate-intensity physical activity was not associated with 2-hour glucose (p>0.20). Additionally, none of the physical activity minutes was associated with fasting glucose (p>0.27). Conclusion: Self-reported vigorous-intensity physical activity during work was positively associated with 2-hour glucose, but not fasting glucose. The results are surprising. Further studies with objective physical activity measures are needed to examine the associations with fasting and 2-hour glucose.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart J. Fairclough ◽  
Nicola D. Ridgers ◽  
Gregory Welk

Background:Vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) may confer superior health benefits for children compared to moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA), but the correlates of MPA and VPA may differ. The study purpose was to investigate associations between selected enabling, predisposing, and demographic physical activity correlates, and MPA and VPA during weekdays and at weekends.Methods:Data were gathered from 175 children (aged 10 to 11 years). MPA and VPA were assessed using accelerometers. Correlates were measured at child and school levels. Multilevel analyses identified correlates that significantly predicted MPA and VPA.Results:Gender significantly predicted weekday MPA (P < .001), and weekend MPA (P = .022) and VPA (P = .035). Weekday VPA was predicted by gender (P < .001), indices of multiple deprivation score (P < .003), BMI (P = .018), and school playground area (P = .046).Conclusions:Gender was the most significant correlate of MPA and VPA. Children most likely to engage in weekday VPA were boys with lower deprivation scores and BMI values, with access to larger playground areas.


Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J Shiroma ◽  
Howard D Sesso ◽  
I-Min Lee

The 2008 US federal guidelines require a minimum of 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of the two, for health benefits. Thus, they assume a 2:1 equivalence between the two intensities of activity; i.e., 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity is equivalent to 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity. However, no studies have specifically examined whether this assumption is correct. Purpose: To examine the effect of replacing 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity with 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity physical activity on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods: 8,859 men (mean age, 66.4 yr) from the Harvard Alumni Health Study, free from CVD and cancer, were followed from 1988 to 2008. At baseline (1988) and in 1993, men reported physical activity (blocks walked, stairs climbed, and a listing of sports/recreational activities and participation time). Time spent per week in sports/recreational activities of moderate-intensity (3 to <6 METs, or multiples of resting metabolic rate) was summed and expressed as units (or fraction of units) of 150 minutes/week. Similarly, time spent in vigorous-intensity (≥6 METs) sports/recreational activities was summed, expressed as units (or fraction of units) of 75 min/week. Total and cause-specific mortality was identified from the National Death Index. Cox proportional hazards models calculated the risks of all-cause and CVD mortality, examining the effect of replacing 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity with 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, controlling for the total amount of physical activity. Results: During follow-up, 4,064 men died, including 1,192 from CVD. In multivariate analyses, controlling for the total physical activity, age, smoking, intakes of alcohol, vegetable, fruit, and saturated fat, and total caloric intake, replacing 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity with 75 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity physical activity was associated with an additional 2% reduction in all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio (95% confidence interval) = 0.98 (0.96, 1.00); p = 0.05), and an additional 5% reduction in CVD mortality (0.95 (0.92, 0.99); p = 0.02). Conclusions: The assumption that 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity is equivalent to 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity under current federal guidelines is not strictly correct. Vigorous-intensity physical activity is associated with additional risk reduction for CVD mortality compared to moderate-intensity physical activity. Although there is an added, statistically significant benefit of vigorous-intensity over moderate-intensity physical activity, the magnitude of benefit is small.


2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin McCormack ◽  
Billie Giles-Corti

Background:The influence of participating in vigorous-intensity physical activity and associated compensatory declines in other types of physical activity in the general population has not been studied well; hence, it is unknown if participation in recommended levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity influence the likelihood of participating in recommended levels of moderate-intensity physical activity.Methods:Face-to-face interviews were conducted on healthy adults (n = 1803), 18 to 59 years of age, recruited from the top and lower quintiles of socioeconomic status within Perth, Western Australia. Data on television watching, vigorous-intensity activity, moderate-intensity activity, and walking for recreation and transport were used in the analysis. Logistic regression was used to determine whether participation in recommended levels of vigorous-intensity activity predicted participation in recommended levels of other types of physical activity and television watching.Results:After controlling for age, gender, education, and social advantage, participating in recommended levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity (≥90 min/week) was not found to be associated with walking for transport (≥150 min/week) but was found to be significantly associated (OR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.04–1.82) with recommended levels of recreational walking (≥150 min/week). Participation in recommended levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity was associated with a reduced likelihood of watching television more than 10 hours per/week (OR = 0.71, 95%CI = 0.57–0.89).Conclusion:In those who participate in recommended levels of vigorous-intensity physical activity, there appears to be no compensatory response in other moderate-intensity activities. Given the added health benefits associated with vigorous-intensity activity, concurrent promotion of moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity guidelines is warranted, with no evidence that participation in vigorous-intensity activity will negatively influence participation in recommended levels of moderate-intensity activity.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e026854 ◽  
Author(s):  
YangFan Li ◽  
Fei He ◽  
Yun He ◽  
XinTing Pan ◽  
YunLi Wu ◽  
...  

AimPhysical activity plays an important role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).However, the optimal intensity and dose of physical activity for the treatment of NAFLD have yet to be found. In the present study, we aimed to provide a dose–response association between physical activity and NAFLD in a Chinese population.MethodsWe recruited 543 patients with NAFLD diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography, and 543 age-matched and sex-matched controls. The amount of physical activity, sedentary time and energy intake was collected through a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between physical activity and NAFLD.ResultsAfter adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, energy intake and sedentary time, the total amount of physical activity was found to be inversely associated with NAFLD in a dose-dependent manner in men (>3180 metabolic equivalent of energy [MET]-min/week vs ≤1440 MET-min/week: OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.91, p for trend=0.01). In addition, both moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity were effective in reducing the risk of NAFLD, independent of confounding variables in men (moderate-intensity physical activity: >684 MET-min/week vs none: OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.86, p for trend=0.01; vigorous-intensity physical activity: >960 MET-min/week vs none: OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.95, p for trend=0.02).ConclusionsPhysical activity was inversely associated with risk of NAFLD in a dose-dependent manner in men. Vigorous-intensity and moderate-intensity physical activity were both beneficial to NAFLD, independent of sedentary time and energy intake.


1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (3a) ◽  
pp. 383-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Rauramaa ◽  
SB Väisänen

AbstractRegular moderate intensity physical activity and habitual diet providing no more than one third of energy from fats have been recommended for the prevention of atherosclerotic diseases. The background for these guidelines is the key role of plasma lipids. However, the importance of thrombogenesis in acute myocardial infarction has become obvious during the last decade. Hyperlipidaemia and excess of adipose tissue increase platelet aggregability and blood coagulation, and decrease fibrinolysis. Both regular physical activity and dietary fat reduction decrease blood lipids and body fat thereby diminishing the risk of thrombosis. Currently, data on interactions between physical activity and diet on haemostasis are scarce, and the few studies available have not demonstrated additional effects when these two lifestyle modifications have been combined. This paper is restricted only to studies using controlled randomized design. Regular moderate intensity physical activity as well as diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids decrease platelet aggregability. The effects of regular physical activity on plasma fibrinogen remain contradictory, while the impact of diet is even less clear. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, a possible link between insulin resistance syndrome and coronary heart disease, may decrease due to physical training or low fat diet. It can be hypothesized that moderation in physical activity and diet carries a more powerful impact on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis than either lifestyle modification alone. Studies focusing on the interactions of regular moderate physical activity and fat-modified diet are needed in efforts to optimize the preventive actions by lifestyle changes.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Z Willey ◽  
Jenna Voutsinas ◽  
Ayesha Sherzai ◽  
Sophia S Wang ◽  
Leslie Bernstein ◽  
...  

Introduction: Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) has been consistently associated with a lower risk of stroke across several populations. Less is known however about how changes over the life-time in physical activity may influence the risk of stroke. We examined the association of changes in engaging in moderate and strenuous physical activity with risk of stroke in the California Teachers Study. Methods: The California Teachers Study is a prospective cohort study established in 1995. Baseline LTPA was obtained using a questionnaire outlining time spent in moderate (brisk walking for example) and strenuous (swimming and running for example); the same questionnaire was repeated in 2005-6. We defined the exposure as engaging in any activity for at least 15 minutes per week (any) in the second questionnaire when not engaging in any on the first questionnaire, with the reference being no change or a decline in activity between both. Multi-variable Cox models were constructed to examine the association of the change in LTPA with risk of stroke. Separate models were created for moderate and strenuous activity. Results: There were a total of 61,256 participants with two LTPA questionnaires available separated by 10 years. A total of 3,111 participants increased their level of moderate activity, 11,744 remained active in both, 2,760 declined from the first to the second questionnaire, while 2,508 reported no activity in both. There were 987 (709 ischemic, 221 hemorrhagic, 247 deaths) strokes after the second questionnaires (mean follow up 6.5 years). In multi-variable models increasing any moderate intensity from none from the two questionnaires, versus no change or decline in activity, was associated with a lower risk of all stroke (adjusted HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.72-0.95). We found no associations of changes in strenuous LTPA with risk of stroke (adjusted HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83-1.17). The associations were statistically significant for ischemic stroke (adjusted HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64-0.89) but not hemorrhagic stroke (adjusted HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.72-1.25). Conclusion: Improving or maintaining moderate intensity physical activity is associated with a lower risk of stroke, while changes in strenuous activity is not.


2020 ◽  
pp. 089020702096230
Author(s):  
Zoë Francis ◽  
Jutta Mata ◽  
Lavinia Flückiger ◽  
Veronika Job

People may be more or less vulnerable to changes in self-control across the day, depending on whether they believe willpower is more or less limited. Limited willpower beliefs might be associated with steeper decreases in self-control across the day, which may result in less goal-consistent behaviour by the evening. Community members with health goals (Sample 1; N = 160; 1814 observations) and students (Sample 2; N = 162; 10,581 observations) completed five surveys per day for one to three weeks, reporting on their recent physical activity, snacking, subjective state, and health intentions. In both samples, more limited willpower beliefs were associated with less low- and moderate-intensity physical activity, particularly later in the day. Limited willpower beliefs were also associated with more snacking in the evenings (Sample 1) or overall (Sample 2). These behavioural patterns were mediated by differential changes in self-efficacy and intentions across the course of the day (in Sample 1), and the above patterns of low- and moderate-physical intensity held after controlling for related individual differences, including trait self-control and chronotype (in Sample 2). Overall, more limited willpower theories were associated with decreasing goal-consistent behaviour as the day progressed, alongside decreasing self-efficacy and weakening health-goal intentions.


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