scholarly journals How Youth of Color Create Communities of Hope: Connecting Advocacy, Activity, and Neighborhood Change

Author(s):  
Anna J. Kim ◽  
Jasmine Jones-Bynes ◽  
Nisha Botchwey ◽  
Terry L. Conway

The primary aim of this paper was to assess the association of after-school club characteristics with changes in physical activity, nutrition, and attitudes in students of color after participating in the “YEAH!” Advocacy-based Physical Activity Program. We examine the strengths of school-based vs. non-school based programs in promoting feelings of self-efficacy and empowerment among students learning to become more physically active—and importantly, also test the strength of how programs that are more connected (to community-based partners) may contribute to students’ optimism around policy and public health as it directly affects them. This study examined differences in the youth advocacy training impact across four after-school club types: school-based with community partnerships, school-based without partnerships, non-school-based with community partners, and non-school-based clubs without partnerships. We measured improvements in youth’s “optimism for change”, “assertiveness” and “decision-making” as related to after school activities and found that non-school-based programs with community partners showed highest positive impact.

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 645-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maura Coulter ◽  
Catherine B. Woods

Background:The promotion of physical activity among young children has become a universal challenge. Children spend large amounts of time in school, making it an attractive setting in which to promote positive health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate school-based physical activity behavior and its determinants in young Irish children.Methods:Participants self-reported school-based free-play activity, commuting to school behavior, and levels of enjoyment of physical education and physical activity.Results:Data were collected from 605 children, mean age was 8.8 years (±2.2; range 5−14 years), 44% were female. Thirty-nine percent of children actively commuted to school, with 40% of males compared with 34.8% of females walking to school. Boys reported more physically active free-play activity (88.6% at break and 90.9% at lunch time) compared with girls (70.8% and 83.7% respectively). Physical education was a top 3 favorite subject for 78% of children and 50.7% reported they would prefer to take part in more active pastimes directly after school.Conclusions:Strategies for increasing active commuting are required. Boys and girls are more alike than unlike in their behaviors and attitudes. Teachers should capitalize on the fact that children’s favorite subject is physical education to promote physical activity.


Author(s):  
Sergio Pulido Sánchez ◽  
Damián Iglesias Gallego

Interest in analyzing physically active behaviors during school recesses has grown in recent years as the school environment has consolidated (recess, physical education classes, lunch-time, before and after school) as a crucial space to bring these levels towards those recommended through intervention programs and improvements in the school environment. Unfortunately, in most of these studies, children do not achieve the 60 min a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommended by the World Health Organization. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies objectively measured with accelerometers that have emerged in recent years to determine the amount of MVPA of children at recess. This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The extraction process for the studies included in this systematic review yielded a total of 43 articles. The studies were classified according to the methodological nature of the research: cross-sectional (n = 34), longitudinal (n = 3) and quasi-experimental (n = 6). The results of the studies confirm that during the recess period younger children are physically more active than older ones and that in general, boys are more physically active than girls. In addition, the data show that the school contributes to more than 40% of the total MVPA. The intervention programs led to an increase in MVPA of up to 5%. Providing schools with equipment and facilities shows that intervention programs are beneficial for raising children’s levels of physical activity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Šimůnek ◽  
Jan Dygrýn ◽  
Lukáš Jakubec ◽  
Filip Neuls ◽  
Karel Frömel ◽  
...  

Purpose:Activity trackers are useful tools for physical activity promotion in adolescents, but robust validity evaluations have not been done under free-living conditions. This study evaluated the validity of the Garmin Vívofit 1 (G1) and Garmin Vívofit 3 (G3) in different settings and contexts.Methods:The participants (girls: 52%, age: 15.9 [1.9] y) wore the G1 and G3 on their nondominant wrist and the Yamax pedometer on their right hip for a period of 1 week. Validity was examined in 4 discrete segments (before school, in school, after school, and whole day). The criterion method was the Yamax pedometer.Results:Both the G1 and G3 could be considered equivalent to the Yamax pedometer regarding the before school, in school, and whole day segments. The G1 showed wider limits of agreement than G3.Conclusions:The G1 and G3 trackers exhibited acceptable validity for 3 of the 4 segments (before school, in school, and whole day measurements). The results were less accurate during the after-school segment. The evidence that the validity of the monitors varied depending on the setting and context is an important consideration for research on adolescent activity patterns.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baratali Rezapour ◽  
Firoozeh Mostafavi ◽  
Hamid Reza Khalkhali

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> Students attend sedentary life style and less like vigorous physical activity. This study investigated the effects of School-based intervention<strong> </strong>on increasing physical activity for decreasing obesity among high-school obese and overweight boys, based on the components of PRECEDE PROCEED Model, to participate in median - vigorous physical activity among the first Period of high school boys in the city of Urmia, Iran</p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong> This study was an experimental intervention that conducted at 4 high schools that were divided into 2 groups of intervention (40) and the control (40) male students, schools in junior high schools in Urmia.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Three and six months after the intervention, significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups of schools, in the amount of students’ participation in vigorous physical activity (p&lt;0.01).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> According to the results, the school-based intervention and components of PRECEDE PROCEED Model had a positive impact on the improvement of physical activity and decrease in physical inactivity among the students.</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51
Author(s):  
Peter Karlsudd

In the doctoral dissertation "Children with intellectual disability in the integrated school-age care system" the extent and goal fulfilment of after-school recreation centre activities in 19 Swedish municipalities were studied. The study gave high marks to these centres for integrating intellectually disabled children into their activities. The empirics of the dissertation revealed, however, a number of warning signals, which indicated an increase in offering “special solutions” to these children. This article will contain a comparison between the study from 1999 and the one carried out in the spring of 2011. The two studies have followed the same question construction in order to achieve a comparison over time. The aim of study, focusing on children received into schools for the intellectually disabled was to evaluate to what extent integrated activities occurred and to look for factors with a positive impact on the quality of those after-school activities which gathered children from these and compulsory schools in the same groups. On the basis of the comparison made between the 12 years that have passed from the earlier to the later study, it must be regretfully concluded that segregated activities have gained a firm hold on the activities of after-school recreation care centres. Key words: after-school activities, inclusion, integrated, intellectual disability, school-age care system.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-32
Author(s):  
ARTO GRÅSTÉN

Background: Since less than one-third of 13-year-olds in many Western countries meet the physical activity guidelines, there is a major need to promote physical activity. The aim of this study was to examine children’s segment specific moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) through the school-initiated program. Material/Methods: The sample comprised 76 Finnish elementary school children. Accelerometers were used to investigate the patterns of segmented MVPA through 2012-2014. Repeated Measures Analysis was implemented to summarize variability between time and segments of MVPA. Results: The examination of children’s MVPA revealed that their total, weekend, and before-school activity were significant predictors for their subsequent activity. Children’s MVPA in physical education classes, before- and after-school, and during school breaks decreased through the program. Both girls and boys accumulated the majority of their weekly MVPA during weekdays and out-of-school. Conclusions: The program provedto be effective in order to sustain children’s total MVPA levels, although physical education, before- and after-school, and recess MVPA decreased through the program. Out-of-school activities seemed to be more important than in-school activities in relation to children’s total MVPA minutes, when they transfer to the higher grades. Attention should be paid to out-of-school, especially weekend, activities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Engelen ◽  
Anita C Bundy ◽  
Adrian Bauman ◽  
Geraldine Naughton ◽  
Shirley Wyver ◽  
...  

Background:Children can spend substantial amounts of leisure time in sedentary activities, dominated by TV/screen time. However, objective real-time measurement of activities after school among young school children is seldom described.Methods:School children (n = 246, 5−7 years old, mean 6.0) and their parents were recruited by random selection from 14 schools across Sydney, Australia. Parents used a real-time objective measure (Experience Sampling Method, ESM) to record children’s activities and whether they were indoors or outdoors at 3 random times each day after school. Data were collected across 4 weekdays in 1 week and then, 13 weeks later, another 4 weekdays in 1 week.Results:Results were based on 2940 responses from 214 childparent dyads showed that 25% of behavior involved physical activity, 51% was spent in sedentary activities, and 22% was TV/ screen time. Most instances (81%) occurred indoors.Conclusion:Despite a high proportion of TV/screen time, children were also engaged in a range of other sedentary and physically active pursuits after school. Hence TV/screen time is not a suitable proxy for all sedentary behavior, and it is important to gather information on other non–screen-based sedentary and physically active behaviors. Future research is warranted to further investigate after-school activities in young primary school children.


2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 635-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn Roblin

The need has never been greater to support healthy eating and physical activity in children and youth; the numbers of overweight and obese children have doubled and tripled, respectively, over the past 3 decades. Poor eating habits, including inadequate intake of vegetables, fruit, and milk, and eating too many high-calorie snacks, play a role in childhood obesity. Grain products provide the highest percentage (31%) of daily calories, followed by “other foods,” which have limited nutritional value (22% of daily calories). Snacks account for 27% of total daily calories, which is more than the calories consumed at breakfast (18%) and lunch (24%), but not dinner (31%). For Canadians older than 4 years of age, more than 41% of daily snack calories come from other foods, such as chips, chocolate bars, soft drinks, fruit drinks, sugars, syrup, preserves, fats, and oils. Habits that protect against childhood obesity include eating more vegetables and fruit, eating meals with family, and being physically active. Children’s food habits and choices are influenced by family, caregivers, friends, schools, marketing, and the media. Successful interventions for preventing childhood obesity combine family- and school-based programs, nutrition education, dietary change, physical activity, family participation, and counseling.


Author(s):  
Vera van den Berg ◽  
Eline Vos ◽  
Renate de Groot ◽  
Amika Singh ◽  
Mai Chinapaw

Schools are considered ideal venues to promote physical activity (PA) in children. However, a knowledge gap exists on how to adequately integrate PA into the school day and in particular, on the preferences of children regarding additional PA in school. Therefore, the aim of our qualitative study was to gain comprehensive insight into 10–13-year-old primary schoolchildren’s perspectives on how to increase PA in the school setting. We conducted nine focus groups (32 girls and 20 boys) with children attending the final two grades of primary school in the Netherlands. We used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data. The results showed that children were enthusiastic about additional PA in school. Children suggested various ways to increase PA, including more time for PA in the existing curriculum, e.g., physical education (PE), recess, and occasional activities, such as field trips or sports days; school playground adaptation; improving the content of PE; and implementing short PA breaks and physically active academic lessons. Children emphasized variation and being given a voice in their PA participation as a prerequisite to keep PA enjoyable and interesting in the long term. Finally, children mentioned the role of the teacher and making efforts to accommodate all children and their different preferences as important. Children have concrete ideas, acknowledging the challenges that accompany integrating additional PA in school. We therefore recommend actively involving children in efforts to increase school-based PA and to make “additional PA in school” a shared project of teachers and students.


Author(s):  
Chang-Yong Jang ◽  
Nam-Gyeong Gim ◽  
Yoonhee Kim ◽  
TaeEung Kim

This study examined the association between the obesogenic factors and the risk of suffering from weight excess in school-based state programs regarding physical activity, physical education, nutrition standards, and nutrition education in preventing childhood obesity. Data were drawn from the 1999–2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in the State of Mississippi (N = 8862; grades 9–12). Logistic regression with year-fixed effects was performed to capture the influence of the legislation on teenage obesity, controlling for demographics and nutrition- and physical activity-related behaviors. The age-, sex-, and ethnicity-adjusted mean of the body mass index had reduced since 2007 (year 1999: 23.52; year 2001: 23.53; year 2003: 23.76; year 2007: 24.26; year 2009: 24.29; and year 2011: 23.91). The legislation was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of being overweight (year 2007, odds ratio (OR) = 0.686; year 2009, OR = 0.739; and year 2011, OR = 0.760; all p < 0.01). Children who were more sedentary, more frequently fasted to lose weight, and were less physically active and likelier to be overweight (OR = 1.05, 1.37, and 0.97, respectively; all p < 0.05), as were African-American children (OR = 0.64; p < 0.05) and female students (OR = 1.59; p < 0.05). In conclusion, schools are among the most easily modifiable settings for preventing childhood obesity and reducing its prevalence, with the implementation of physical activity and nutritional policies.


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