An Objective Assessment of Children's Physical Activity During the Keep It Moving! After‐School Program

BACKGROUND After‐school programs may provide valuable opportunities for children to accumulate healthful physical activity ( PA ). This study assessed the PA of third‐, fourth‐, and fifth‐grade children in the Keep It Moving! ( KIM ) after‐school PA program, which was implemented in an ethnically diverse and low socioeconomic status school district in Colorado Springs, Colorado . METHODS The PA of KIM participating children (N = 116) at 4 elementary schools was objectively assessed using ActiGraph accelerometers and the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time ( SOFIT ). Linear mixed‐effects models or generalized linear mixed‐effects models were used to compare time spent in sedentary ( SED ) behaviors, light PA ( LPA ), moderate PA ( MPA ), vigorous PA ( VPA ), and moderate‐to‐vigorous PA ( MVPA ) between genders and weight status classifications during KIM sessions. RESULTS Children accumulated 7.6 minutes of SED time, 26.9 minutes of LPA , and 22.2 minutes of MVPA during KIM sessions. Boys accumulated less SED time (p < .05) and LPA (p = .04) than girls, but accumulated more MPA (p = .04), VPA (p = .03), and MVPA (p = .03). Overweight/obese children accumulated more LPA (p = .04) and less VPA (p < .05) than nonoverweight children. SOFIT data indicated that children spent a considerable proportion of KIM sessions being very active (12.4%), walking (36.0%), or standing (40.3%). CONCLUSION The KIM program provides opportunities for disadvantaged children to accumulate substantial amounts of MVPA (>20 minutes per session) in an effort to meet current PA guidelines.