The Role of School in Helping Children and Adolescents Reach the Physical Activity Recommendations: The UP&DOWN Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (8) ◽  
pp. 612-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Grao‐Cruces ◽  
Victor Segura‐Jiménez ◽  
Julio Conde‐Caveda ◽  
Laura García‐Cervantes ◽  
David Martínez‐Gómez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Activity Recommendations

scholarly journals The Role of Preschool Hours in Achieving Physical Activity Recommendations for Preschoolers

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Sara Lahuerta-Contell ◽  
Javier Molina-García ◽  
Ana Queralt ◽  
Vladimir E. Martínez-Bello
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
School Environment ◽  
High Density ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Sociodemographic Correlates ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Activity Recommendations

Research on physical activity (PA) in different educational settings could elucidate which interventions promote a healthy school lifestyle in early childhood education (ECE). The aims of this study were: (a) to analyse the PA levels of preschoolers during school hours, as well as the rate of compliance with specific recommendations on total PA (TPA) and moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA); (b) to examine the role of structured movement sessions and recess time in the MVPA levels during school hours; (c) to evaluate the sociodemographic correlates of preschoolers and the school environment on MVPA behaviour during school hours. PA was evaluated with Actigraph accelerometers. Our main findings were that: (a) preschoolers engaged in very little TPA and MVPA during school hours; (b) children showed significantly higher MVPA levels on days with versus without structured movement sessions, and the contribution of the structured sessions to MVPA was significantly higher than that of recess time; (c) gender and age were associated with PA, and a high density of young children on the playground was associated with high levels of vigorous PA, whereas in the classroom, high density was associated with more sedentary behaviour. Structured PA could reduce the gap in achieving international recommendations.

scholarly journals Role of Spanish Toddlers’ Education and Care Institutions in Achieving Physical Activity Recommendations in the COVID-19 Era: A Cross-Sectional Study

Children ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Herminia Vega-Perona ◽  
Isaac Estevan ◽  
Yolanda Cabrera García-Ochoa ◽  
Daniel A. Martínez-Bello ◽  
María del Mar Bernabé-Villodre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Very High ◽  
Activity Recommendations

To our knowledge, there are no published studies that describe the physical activity (PA) levels and objectively measure them through accelerometry in toddlers (2–3 years old) attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were two-fold: (a) to analyse toddlers’ PA levels and sedentary behaviour (SB) during school hours in ECEC institutions, as well as the rate of adherence to specific recommendations on total PA (TPA) and moderate–vigorous PA (MVPA); and (b) to evaluate the characteristics correlates (age, gender, and body mass index –BMI) of young children and the school environment on toddlers’ TPA, light PA (LPA), MVPA, and SB during school hours in ECEC institutions. PA was evaluated with ActiGraph accelerometers. The main findings were that: (a) toddlers engaged in very high amounts of TPA and MVPA during ECEC hours; (b) girls and boys displayed similar levels of LPA, TPA, and SB, while girls had lower levels of MVPA, compared to boys, and younger toddlers were less active than older ones; (c) BMI was not associated with PA of any intensity or SB; (d) playground and classroom density were not associated with higher levels of PA of any intensity, though classroom density was associated with SB. These ECEC institutions provide and challenge the new COVID-19 scenario, as well as supportive environments for toddlers’ PA.

scholarly journals Status and contents of physical activity recommendations in European Union countries: a systematic comparative analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e034045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gelius ◽  
Antonina Tcymbal ◽  
Karim Abu-Omar ◽  
Romeu Mendes ◽  
Sara Tribuzi Morais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Activity Recommendations

ObjectivesWe analysed the information on current national physical activity recommendations in all EU Member States provided by governments in a joint EU/WHO survey on the implementation status of the EU Council Recommendation on Health-Enhancing Physical Activity across Sectors.DesignCross-sectional survey.ParticipantsThe representatives of the 28 EU Member State governments to the EU Physical Activity Focal Point Network.Outcome measuresNational recommendations on: (A) minimum frequency, duration, intensity and lengths of bouts of physical activity, (B) preventing inactivity or sedentary behaviour and (C) further recommendations for additional health benefits, obesity prevention and specific types of activity.ResultsAn official document could be located for 23 of the 28 EU Member States, while four are currently developing recommendations. For children and adolescents, most countries follow the 2010 WHO Global Recommendations for Physical Activity, but there are notable differences in the delimitation of age groups. 14 countries also followed WHO in their recommendations for adults, and 11 countries have additional advice on avoiding inactivity and sitting among adults. 18 Member States have recommendations for older adults, 12 of which follow WHO. Thirteen countries also address at least one special population (eg, pregnant women, people with disabilities and people with chronic diseases), but the level of detail varies substantially between countries.ConclusionsThe large majority of EU Member States either has physical activity recommendations in place or is in the process of developing them. There is a general tendency to use the WHO Global Recommendations as a basis, with the greatest variation observable for children and adolescents. Comparing results with a previous round of data collection shows that the number of EU countries with physical activity recommendations is increasing and that both special groups and sedentary behaviour have become more important in recent years.

scholarly journals Meeting the Physical Activity Recommendations and Its Relationship with Obesity-Related Parameters, Physical Fitness, Screen Time, and Mediterranean Diet in Schoolchildren

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
José Francisco López-Gil ◽  
Javier Brazo-Sayavera ◽  
Wagner de Campos ◽  
Juan Luis Yuste Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Abdominal Obesity ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Fitness Score ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Activity Recommendations

The up-to-date scientific evidence suggests that adequate levels of physical activity provide essential health benefits for children and adolescents and help to maintain a healthy body weight. In this sense, children and adolescents should at least accumulate 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in a daily basis to achieve these benefits and be considered active. Likewise, some lifestyle-related elements may interact with each other in an antagonistic or synergistic way to modify physical activity status. Thus, a better understanding of how meeting physical activity recommendations influences these potentially modifiable lifestyle factors (obesity-related parameters, physical fitness, dietary habits, or sedentary behaviour) would significantly reinforce the importance of complying with those recommendations from a health perspective and support the establishment of strategies for the promotion of diminishing the lower trends of physical activity among the young population. This study seeks to verify the association of meeting physical activity international recommendations with obesity-related parameters, global physical fitness, screen time, and Mediterranean diet in Spanish schoolchildren aged 8 to 13. A cross-sectional study was performed including 250 schoolchildren (41.2% girls) aged 8–13 (9.7 ± 1.2) from six primary schools in the Region of Murcia (Spain). Results: A higher proportion of children who complying with physical activity recommendations shows normal weight, no abdominal obesity, and low adiposity in comparison to other with different obesity-related parameters categories. Higher values in global physical fitness score were found in those who meet the physical activity international recommendations in both sexes. These higher values were also shown for adherence to the Mediterranean diet in both sexes; not being so in the case of screen time. Notwithstanding, none of these mean differences were statistically significant. To conclude, the proportion of schoolchildren meeting the physical activity recommendations in our study is low. A higher proportion of children who meet with physical activity recommendations present normal weight, no abdominal obesity and low adiposity in comparison to other obesity-related parameters categories in both sexes. Likewise, those considered as active children seem to have higher global physical fitness score and adherence to the Mediterranean diet than children who do not meet the recommendations.

Associations Between Worksite Walkability, Greenness, and Physical Activity Around Work

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oriol Marquet ◽  
Myron F. Floyd ◽  
Peter James ◽  
Karen Glanz ◽  
Viniece Jennings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Geographic Information Systems ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Employed Women ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Activity Recommendations

This article explores the role of the work environment in determining physical activity gained within and around the workplace. With most adults spending more than half of their waking day at work, the workplace is a promising venue for promoting physical activity. We used a sample of 147 employed women—median age = 53 years old; 42% meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) physical activity recommendations—wearing a GPS device and accelerometer on the hip for 7 days to assess location and physical activity at minute-level epochs. We analyzed the association between geographic information systems (GIS) measures of walkability and greenness around the workplace and the amount of physical activity gained while in the work neighborhood. Our results showed that working in high walkable environments was associated with higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity while at work, and with higher moderate to vigorous physical activity gained within the work neighborhood. Increasing walkability levels around workplaces can contribute to increasing physical activity of employees.

Physical Activity and Cognitive-Health Content in Top-Circulating Magazines, 2006–2008

2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Price ◽  
Sara J. Corwin ◽  
Daniela B. Friedman ◽  
Sarah B. Laditka ◽  
Natalie Colabianchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Popular Media ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Activity Recommendations

Physical activity may promote cognitive health in older adults. Popular media play an important role in preventive health communication. This study examined articles discussing associations between physical activity and cognitive health in top-circulating magazines targeting older adults. 42,753 pages of magazines published from 2006 to 2008 were reviewed; 26 articles met inclusion criteria. Explanations regarding the link between physical activity and cognitive health were provided in 57.7% of articles. These explanations were generally consistent with empirical evidence; however, few articles included empirical evidence. Physical activity recommendations were presented in 80.8% of articles; a wide range was recommended (90–300 min of physical activity per wk). Socioeconomic status and education level were not mentioned in the text. Results suggest an opportunity for greater coverage regarding the role of physical activity in promoting cognitive health in popular media. Magazine content would benefit from including more empirical evidence, culturally sensitive content, and physical activity recommendations that are consistent with U.S. guidelines.

scholarly journals Active breaks during virtual classrooms in schoolchildren in times of COVID-19 pandemic: A strategy to increase physical activity levels

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairo Azócar-Gallardo ◽  
◽  
Alex Ojeda-Aravena ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Virtual Classrooms ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
Active Breaks ◽  
Activity Recommendations

As a result of the closure of schools to control COVID-19 transmission, the lifestyle of schoolchildren changed, with an increase in excess malnutrition, sedentary behavior, decreased outdoor time and increased screen time. The modification in the execution of classes in their new modalities (on-site or virtual) does not modify the deleterious effects of the sedentary behavior of schoolchildren. Short cumulative active breaks can be an efficient strategy to meet the minimum physical activity recommendations suggested by the WHO for children and adolescents aged 5-17 years.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Inequities in Youth Participation in Physical Activity and Sports

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6946
Author(s):  
Pooja S. Tandon ◽  
Emily Kroshus ◽  
Katharine Olsen ◽  
Kimberly Garrett ◽  
Pingping Qu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sports Participation ◽  
Youth Participation ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Middle School Children ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Physical Activity Recommendations ◽  
High Schoolers ◽  
Activity Recommendations

Access to opportunities for physical activity and sports, and therefore potential benefits of participation, are distributed inequitably. The aims of this study were to describe and compare youth experiences related to sport and physical activity by socioeconomic factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of students in 5–12th grades in King County, Washington, USA. Students were asked about physical activity and sports experiences and about demographic factors including family affluence, which was categorized as low, medium, and high. Participants were 1038 youth (50% girls, 58% non-White, and 32% from homes where languages other than English are spoken). Children from low-affluence families reported fewer days/week of physical activity, fewer sports sampled, and lower rates of ever playing sports. Greater proportions of children from low-affluence families reported these barriers to sports: (1) don’t want to get hurt, (2) don’t feel welcome on teams, (3) too expensive, and (4) transportation. Middle school children from high-affluence families had three times higher odds of meeting physical activity recommendations, and high-affluence high schoolers had three times higher odds of ever participating in sports compared to peers from low-affluence families. Socioeconomic status was inversely associated with outcomes related to youth physical activity and sports participation. The disproportionately reported barriers to sports participation are modifiable, and cross-sector solutions can help promote play equity.

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