Citation

Mantjes JA, Jones AP, Corder K, Jones NR, Harrison F, Griffin SJ, van Sluijs EM. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2012; 9(1): 153.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/1479-5868-9-153

PMID

23276280

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Activity levels are known to decline with age and there is growing evidence of associations between the school environment and physical activity. In this study we investigated how objectively measured one-year changes in physical activity may be associated with school-related factors in 9- to 10-year-old British children. METHODS: Data were analysed from 839 children attending 89 schools in the SPEEDY (Sport, Physical Activity, and Eating behaviours: Environmental Determinants in Young People) study. Outcomes variables were one year changes in objectively measured sedentary, moderate, and vigorous physical activity, with baseline measures taken when the children were 9--10 years old. School characteristics hypothesised to be associated with change in physical activity were identified from questionnaires, grounds audits, and computer mapping. Associations were examined using simple and multivariable multilevel regression models for both school (9 am -- 3 pm) and travel (8--9 am and 3--4 pm) time. RESULTS: Significant associations during school time included the length of the morning break which was found to be supportive of moderate (beta coefficient: 0.68 [p: 0.003]) and vigorous (beta coefficient: 0.52 [p: 0.002]) activities and helps to prevent adverse changes in sedentary time (beta coefficient: -2.52 [p: 0.001]). During travel time, positive associations were found between the presence of safe places to cross roads around the school and changes in moderate (beta coefficient: 0.83 [p:0.022]) and vigorous (beta coefficient: 0.56 [p:0.001]) activity, as well as sedentary time (beta coefficient: -1.61 [p:0.005]). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that having longer morning school breaks and providing road safety features such as cycling infrastructure, a crossing guard, and safe places for children to cross the road may have a role to play in supporting the maintenance of moderate and vigorous activity behaviours, and preventing the development of sedentary behaviours in children.

Language: en