Investigating physical activity dispersion throughout recess to maximize activity on the playground: a baseline study
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Meeting name
Sponsors
Date
Journal Title
Format
Thesis
Subject
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity is an ongoing epidemic due to a surplus of caloric intake and a lack of physical activity (PA). Longitudinal data suggests that physical inactivity translates from childhood into adulthood. Therefore, it is important to provide youth multiple opportunities to be active and maximize periods of PA. One critical time youth can be active is on the playground during recess. Purpose: Compare a traditional playground (TP) to a zoned playground (ZP) for the percentage of youth participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A secondary purpose is to assess how MVPA fluctuates on both a TP and ZP over the course of a recess period. Methods: 380 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from two elementary schools were observed during a post-lunch time recess over the course of three weeks. The System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) was used to measure the percentage of youth participating in MVPA on a TP for one week. After this baseline period, a ZP was implemented at each school and SOPLAY was used to measure MVPA for two weeks. Results: The number of youths participating in MVPA was higher on ZP compared to TP at each interval of recess (p [less than] .05). Children were significantly more active in the middle of recess (p [less than] .05) than at the beginning and end of recess on a TP (p [less than] .05). The percentage of youth participating in MVPA for the ZP did not change across the beginning, middle and end intervals. Conclusion: The percentage of youths participating in MVPA was higher on ZP compared to TP. The difference may be due to how MVPA fluctuates on a TP. Schools should consider implementing zoned playgrounds to maximize physical activity during recess. Schools using TP should find ways to help youth get active sooner and help maintain that activity throughout the recess period.
Table of Contents
DOI
PubMed ID
Degree
M.S.