Increasing children's physical activity during school recess periods

J.J. Chin and D. Ludwig

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 7, 1229-1234

Abstract: Objectives. We examined whether schools' participation in the Recess Enhancement Program (REP) in the spring of 2011 was associated with higher rates of children's vigorous physical activity. Methods. In REP, a coach guides children through age-appropriate games aimed at increasing their physical activity. During recess at 25 New York City public elementary schools (15 REP, 10 non-REP), researchers visually scanned predetermined areas (n = 1339 scans), recording the number of sedentary, walking, and very active children. Results. Multivariate statistical analysis found that participation in REP was a significant predictor (P = .027) of the rate of vigorous physical activity (percentage very active in scan area) whose least-squares means were 41% in REP schools and 27% in non-REP schools. A significantly higher rate in REP schools persisted when the coach was not in the scan area, suggesting a change in the recess culture of REP schools. Conclusions. The rate of vigorous physical activity in REP schools was 14 percentage points, or 52%, higher than the rate in non-REP schools. This low-cost intervention might be a valuable addition to the tools for combating childhood obesity and worth replicating elsewhere. Copyright © 2012 by the American Public Health Association®.

Keywords: African American; article; Caucasian; comparative study; exercise; female; health promotion; Hispanic; human; male; methodology; multicenter study; physiology; recreation; school; sex difference; statistics; United States; walking, African Americans; European Continental Ancestry Group; Exercise; Female; Health Promotion; Hispanic Americans; Humans; Male; New York City; Recreation; Schools; Sex Factors; Walking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.301132_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301132

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