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Predictors of time spent outdoors among children : 5-year longitudinal findings

journal contribution
posted on 2010-05-01, 00:00 authored by Verity Cleland, Anna TimperioAnna Timperio, Jo SalmonJo Salmon, Clare Hume, L Baur, David CrawfordDavid Crawford
Background Given the importance of physical activity for health and age-related declines in physical activity, understanding influences on related behaviours, such as time outdoors, is crucial. This study aimed to understand individual, social and physical environmental influences on longitudinal changes in urban children’s time outdoors.

Methods
The time children spent outdoors in 2001, 2004 and 2006 (aged 5e6 and 10e12 years at baseline) was reported by their parents (n¼421). In 2001, individual, social and physical environmental factors were self-reported by parents. Generalized estimating equations examined longitudinal relationships between baseline predictors and average change in time outdoors over 5 years.

Results
Children’s time outdoors significantly declined over time. “Indoor tendencies” inversely predicted time outdoors among younger and older boys, and younger girls. Social opportunities positively predicted time outdoors among younger boys, while “outdoor tendencies” positively predicted time outdoors among older boys. Parental encouragement for activity positively predicted time outdoors among younger and older girls,while lack of adult supervision for active play outdoors after school inversely predicted time outdoors among older girls and older boys.

Conclusion
Individual (indoor and outdoor tendencies) and social factors (social opportunities, parental encouragement and parental supervision) predicted children’s time outdoors over 5 years. Interventions targeting reduced indoor tendencies, increased outdoor play with others, and increased parental encouragement and supervision are warranted.

History

Journal

Journal of epidemiology & community health

Volume

64

Issue

5

Pagination

400 - 406

Publisher

B M J Group

Location

London, England

ISSN

0143-005X

eISSN

1470-2738

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

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