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Backyard benefits? A cross-sectional study of yard size and greenness and children’s physical activity and outdoor play

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Version 3 2024-06-19, 04:16
Version 2 2024-06-06, 07:33
Version 1 2021-08-19, 17:34
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-19, 04:16 authored by J Oakley, RL Peters, M Wake, AC Grobler, JA Kerr, Kate LycettKate Lycett, R Cassim, M Russell, C Sun, MLK Tang, JJ Koplin, S Mavoa
Abstract Background The home environment is the most important location in young children’s lives, yet few studies have examined the relationship between the outdoor home environment and child physical activity levels, and even fewer have used objectively measured exposures and outcomes. This study examined relationships between objectively assessed home yard size and greenness, and child physical activity and outdoor play. Methods Data were drawn from the HealthNuts study, a longitudinal study of 5276 children in Melbourne, Australia. We used cross-sectional data from a sample at Wave 3 (2013–2016) when participants were aged 6 years (n = 1648). A sub-sample of 391 children had valid accelerometer data collected from Tri-axial GENEActive accelerometers worn on their non-dominant wrist for 8 consecutive days. Yard area and greenness were calculated using geographic information systems. Objective outcome measures were minutes/day in sedentary, light, and moderate-vigorous physical activity (weekday and weekend separately). Parent-reported outcome measures were minutes/day playing outdoors (weekend and weekday combined). Multi-level regression models (adjusted for child’s sex, mother’s age at the birth of child, neighbourhood socioeconomic index, maternal education, and maternal ethnicity) estimated effects of yard size and greenness on physical activity. Results Data were available on outdoor play for 1648 children and usable accelerometer data for 391. Associations between yard size/greenness and components of physical activity were minimal. For example, during weekdays, yard size was not associated with daily minutes in sedentary behaviour (β: 2.4, 95% CI: − 6.2, 11.0), light physical activity (β: 1.4, 95% CI: − 5.7, 8.5) or MVPA (β: -2.4, 95% CI: − 6.5, 1.7), with similar patterns at weekends. There was no relationship between median annual yard greenness and physical activity or play. Conclusion In our study of young children residing in higher socio-economic areas of Melbourne yard characteristics did not appear to have a major impact on children’s physical activity. Larger studies with greater variation in yard characteristics and identification of activity location are needed to better understand the importance of home outdoor spaces and guide sustainable city planning.

History

Journal

BMC Public Health

Volume

21

Article number

ARTN 1402

Pagination

1 - 10

Location

England

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1471-2458

eISSN

1471-2458

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

1

Publisher

BMC