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Differences in physical activity during school recess

journal contribution
posted on 2011-09-01, 00:00 authored by Nicky Ridgers, P Saint-Maurice, G Welk, M Siahpush, J Huberty
BACKGROUND: School recess provides a daily opportunity for physical activity engagement. The purpose of this study was to examine physical activity levels during recess by gender, ethnicity, and grade, and establish the contribution of recess to daily school physical activity levels.
METHODS: Two hundred and ten children (45% boys) from grades 3 to 6 in 4 elementary schools had their physical activity during school quantified using uni-axial accelerometry every 5 seconds for 5 consecutive school days. Data were collected in fall 2009. The proportion of time spent engaged in physical activity during daily school recess was determined using existing age-appropriate cutpoints. The relative contribution of recess to school day physical activity was also determined.
RESULTS: Boys were more active than girls during recess. Girls engaged in more sedentary activity than boys. No main effects for ethnicity were observed. Children in grades 3 and 5 were more active than children in grades 4 and 6. Recess contributed 17.9% and 15.5% toward boys’ and girls’ school day moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Children engaged in physical activity during recess, though interventions may be needed to increase the intensity of activity in this context.

History

Journal

Journal of school health

Volume

81

Issue

9

Pagination

545 - 551

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.

Location

Kent, OH.

ISSN

0022-4391

eISSN

1746-1561

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal; C Journal article

Copyright notice

2011, American School Health Association