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The effect of available play space on children's free play activity
Adolescent active transportation for physical activity G. Schofield*,L.Schot]eld& K. Mummery Central QueenslandUniversity
A cross-sectional retrospective study examined physical activity and determinants of physical activity in a sample of the Central Queensland adolescent population. Data were collected through survey using a stratified random sample of 1,033 Year 8 and Year 11 adolescent school-goers in Central Queensland, Australia. After school physical activity was assessed using the Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR) scale (1) to provide activity and intensity information for 17, 30-minute blocks. Participants were categorized as being lowactive or moderately physically active. Active transportation during this period was assessed in relation to gender, grade (Year 8/Year11), and location (town-city/rural). Those adolescents using after=school active transportation were 5.76 times more likely to be moderately active than their counterparts not using active transportation. Only 10.4% of the adolescent population engaged in any form of post-school active transportation. The majority of active transportation took place between 3.30 and 4.00 PM suggesting that this was a mode of travel from school to home. Risk analyses were used to calculate odds ratios to compare different groups. Results showed that boys were 2.22 times more likely than to engage in active transportation than girls; that Years 8 students were 2.42 times more likely than Year 11 students to use active transportation. City/town-based students were 4.22 times more likely to use active transport than their rural peers
The effect of available play space on children's free play activity N. Harten*, T.Olds & J. Dollman University Of South Australia
The influence of available space on free play behaviour was examined in two parts, a cross sectional study involving 6 schools of differing play space, and an intervention study where the size of the play area was altered to give high, medium and low spaces. Study 1: This study examined the relationship between free play energy expenditure estimated from accelerometry, and available school play space in 8-10 year old children (n = 80). Gender, SES and motor skills were examined as potential modifiers of this relationship. It was found that available school play space and motor skills were positively associated with energy expenditure for boys, but not for girls. Boys were 55% more active than girls. Study 2: Free play behaviour was examined in eighty 9-11 year old children under three spatial conditions. Children's play was observed, categorised and given a MET value. Results show that children were least active in the small play area although there was no difference in the medium and large areas. When split by gender this difference was only significant in boys, in particular those boys categorised as having low motor skill. The competitive play style of boys and the cooperative style of girls may explain the observed differences.
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A cross-sectional retrospective study examined physical activity and determinants of physical activity in a sample of the Central Queensland adolescent population. Data were collected through survey using a stratified random sample of 1,033 Year 8 and Year 11 adolescent school-goers in Central Queensland, Australia. After school physical activity was assessed using the Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR) scale (1) to provide activity and intensity information for 17, 30-minute blocks. Participants were categorized as being lowactive or moderately physically active. Active transportation during this period was assessed in relation to gender, grade (Year 8/Year11), and location (town-city/rural). Those adolescents using after=school active transportation were 5.76 times more likely to be moderately active than their counterparts not using active transportation. Only 10.4% of the adolescent population engaged in any form of post-school active transportation. The majority of active transportation took place between 3.30 and 4.00 PM suggesting that this was a mode of travel from school to home. Risk analyses were used to calculate odds ratios to compare different groups. Results showed that boys were 2.22 times more likely than to engage in active transportation than girls; that Years 8 students were 2.42 times more likely than Year 11 students to use active transportation. City/town-based students were 4.22 times more likely to use active transport than their rural peers
The effect of available play space on children's free play activity N. Harten*, T.Olds & J. Dollman University Of South Australia
The influence of available space on free play behaviour was examined in two parts, a cross sectional study involving 6 schools of differing play space, and an intervention study where the size of the play area was altered to give high, medium and low spaces. Study 1: This study examined the relationship between free play energy expenditure estimated from accelerometry, and available school play space in 8-10 year old children (n = 80). Gender, SES and motor skills were examined as potential modifiers of this relationship. It was found that available school play space and motor skills were positively associated with energy expenditure for boys, but not for girls. Boys were 55% more active than girls. Study 2: Free play behaviour was examined in eighty 9-11 year old children under three spatial conditions. Children's play was observed, categorised and given a MET value. Results show that children were least active in the small play area although there was no difference in the medium and large areas. When split by gender this difference was only significant in boys, in particular those boys categorised as having low motor skill. The competitive play style of boys and the cooperative style of girls may explain the observed differences.
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