Premium
Physical Activity Opportunities of Low‐Income Elementary School‐Aged Children During the Segmented School Day
Author(s) -
Tyler Emily C.,
Brazendale Keith,
Hunt Ethan,
Rafferty Aaron,
Beets Michael W.,
Weaver R. Glenn
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12939
Subject(s) - physical activity , demography , medicine , observational study , low income , gerontology , physical therapy , psychology , pathology , socioeconomics , sociology
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND In this study, we examined moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of children in a school district serving children from low‐income and minority households. METHODS This observational study was conducted in 8 rural elementary schools in South Carolina. Children (N = 719, age = 7.7 years, 48.0% girls, 88.0% African American) wore accelerometers during school hours. Physical activity was distilled into time engaged in MVPA during 4 distinct opportunities. These 4 opportunities were non‐activity time (eg, class‐time), extended lunch (lunch recess after eating), physical education (PE), and recess. Mixed effects linear regressions estimated MVPA on days that had no activity opportunities, extended lunch, recess, PE, and multiple activity opportunities (eg, PE and recess). RESULTS On days with multiple activity opportunities, girls and boys accumulated 8.0 (95% CI = 4.9, 11.1) and 7.1 (95% CI = 3.6, 10.7) additional minutes of MVPA compared to a no activity day. On PE days boys accumulated 5.2 (95% CI = 0.3, 10.2) additional minutes of MVPA, whereas recess days provided girls with 3.0 (95% CI = 0.1, 6.0) additional MVPA minutes. No other activity opportunities provided statistically significant increases in school‐day MVPA. CONCLUSIONS In low‐income schools it may be necessary to provide multiple physical activity opportunities during the school day to increase boys' and girls' MVPA.