A Microgeographic Analysis of Physical Activity Behavior within Elementary School Grounds

Abstract

Purpose.

There is little scholarship on physical activity among children within outdoor spaces and work is needed to advance the design of these spaces from “best practices” towards evidence-based design. This project examined how playground feature density relates to children's physical activity.

Design.

We used the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity to observe children's physical activity.

Setting.

We observed children during school recess on 24 school grounds in the Denver metropolitan area of Colorado, in spring of 2010 and 2011.

Subjects.

A total of 31,069 observations were made from an estimated 9900 children aged 5 to 12. These were aggregated and analyzed in 397 playground zones.

Measures.

We examined utilization, the number of children present in a particular activity zone during an observation, and the percentage of children engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity as they relate to the density of constructed features on school playgrounds.

Analysis.

Ordinary least-squares linear regression model assessed the relationship between playground feature density and the utilization and moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Results.

Significant positive associations were observed between utilization and feature density among all children (β = .20; p < .001) and a statistically significant but small association was observed between moderate to vigorous physical activity and feature density for girls (β = .12; p = .013), but not for boys.

Conclusion.

This analysis contributes to evidence that design features of play spaces may influence children's behavior within school grounds.

Keywords

Utilization SOPLAY Children School Playground Design Pattern Grounds Prevention Research Manuscript format: research Research purpose: evaluation of built environment design Study design: cross-sectional Outcome measure: physical activity Setting: elementary schools Health focus: physical activity Strategy: built environment Target population age: elementary school aged children Target population circumstances: school recess

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ogden

Carroll

Flegal

. High body mass index for age among US children and adolescents, 2003–2006. JAMA. 2008;299:2401–2405.

Popkin

. The nutrition transition: an overview of world patterns of change. Nutr Rev. 2004;62:S140–S143.

US Dept of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People 2020 objective target areas. Available at: http://healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/pdfs/hp2020objectives.pdf. Accessed October 9, 2011.

Oliver

Schofield

. Policy responses and the physical environment. In: Pearce

Witten

, eds. Geographies of Obesity: Environmental Understandings of the Obesity Epidemic. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate; 2010:175–204.

Sabiston

Castonguay

Low

NCP

. Vigorous physical activity and low-grade systemic inflammation in adolescent boys and girls. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2010;5:509–515.

Davis

Tomporowski

McDowell

. Exercise improves executive function and achievement and alters brain activation in overweight children: a randomized, controlled trial. Health Psychol. 2011;30:91–98.

US Dept of Health and Human Services. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2008.

Troiano

Berrigan

Dodd

. Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40:181–188.

Pearce

Witten

Bartie

. Neighbourhoods and health: a GIS approach to measuring community resource accessibility. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2006;60:389–395.

10.

Hoek

McLean

. Changing food environment and obesity: an overview. In: Pearce

Witten

, eds. Geographies of Obesity: Environmental Understandings of the Obesity Epidemic. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate; 2010:57–78.

11.

Pearce

Witten

. Geographies of Obesity: Environmental Understandings of the Obesity Epidemic. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate; 2010.

12.

Heath

Parra

Sarmiento

. Evidence-based intervention in physical activity: lessons from around the world. Lancet. 2012;380:272–281.

13.

Frank

Kavage

. Urban planning and public health: a story of separation and reconnection. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2008;14:214–220.

14.

Smit

Hancock

Kumaresen

. Toward a research and action agenda on urban planning/design and health equity in cities in low and middle-income countries. J Urban Health. 2011;88:875–885.

15.

Jackson

. The relationship of urban design to human health and condition. Landscape Urban Plann. 2003;64:191–200.

16.

Nicaise

Kahan

Sallis

. Preschool children's physical activity intensity as a function of playground location. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2011;82:A61.

17.

Brandt

Chong

Martin

. Design Informed: Driving Innovation with Evidence-Based Design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2010.

18.

Scott

Cohen

Evenson

. Weekend schoolyard accessibility, physical activity, and obesity: the Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls (TAAG) study. Prev Med. 2007;44:398–403.

19.

Wechsler

Devereaux

Davis

Collins

. Using the school environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Prev Med. 2000;31:S121–S137.

20.

Zask

van Beurden

Barnett

. Active school playgrounds—myth or reality? Results of the “move it groove it” project. Prev Med. 2001;33:402–408.

21.

Ridgers

Saint-Maurice

Welk

. Differences in physical activity during school recess. J Sch Health. 2011;81:545–551.

22.

Farley

Meriwether

Baker

. Where do the children play? The influence of playground equipment on physical activity of children in free play. J Phys Act Health. 2008;5:319–331.

23.

Potwarka

Kaczynski

Flack

. Places to play: association of park space and facilities with healthy weight status among children. J Community Health. 2008; 33:344–350.

24.

Colabianchi

Maslow

Swayampakala

. Features and amenities of school playgrounds: a direct observation study of utilization and physical activity levels outside of school time. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:1–11.

25.

Anthamatten

Brink

Lampe

. An assessment of schoolyard renovation strategies to encourage children's physical activity. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:27.

26.

Brink

Nigg

Lampe

. Influence of schoolyard renovations on children's physical activity: the Learning Landscapes program. Am J Public Health. 2010;100: 1672–1678.

27.

Nielsen

Taylor

Williams

Mann

. Permanent play facilities in school playgrounds as a determinant of children's activity. J Phys Act Health. 2010;7: 490–496.

28.

Hannon

Brown

. Increasing preschoolers' physical activity intensities: an activity-friendly preschool playground intervention. Prev Med. 2008;46:532–536.

29.

Anthamatten

Brink

Kingston

. An assessment of schoolyard features and behavior patterns in children's utilization and physical activity. J Phys Act Health. 2014;11:564–573.

30.

Dee

. Form and Fabric in Landscape Architecture: A Visual Introduction. London, United Kingdom: Spon Press; 2001.

31.

Sallis

Conway

Prochaska

. The association of school environments with youth physical activity. Am J Public Health. 2001;91:618–620.

32.

Ferreira

van der Horst

Wendel-Vos

. Environmental correlates of physical activity in youth—a review and update. Obes Rev. 2007;8:129–154.

33.

Stanley

Ridley

Dollman

. Correlates of children's time-specific physical activity: A review of the literature. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9:1–13.

34.

Biddle

Mutrie

. Psychology of Physical Activity: Determinants, Well-Being, and Interventions. London, United Kingdom: Routledge; 2001.

35.

Bailey

Wellard

Dismore

. Girls and physical activities: a summary review. Educ Health. 2005;23:3–5.

36.

Trost

Pate

Sallis

. Age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity in youth. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:350–355.

37.

Colorado Dept of Education. State, district, and school performance. Available at: http://www.schoolview.org/performance.asp. Accessed August 11, 2012.

38.

McKenzie

. System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY). Available at: http://www.drjamessallis.sdsu.edu/SOPLAYprotocol.pdf. Accessed July 7, 2010.

39.

Dyment

Bell

Lucas

. The relationship between school ground design and intensity of physical activity. Child Geogr. 2009;7:261–276.

40.

Bocarro

Kanters

Cerin

. School sport policy and school-based physical activity environments and their association with observed physical activity in middle school children. Health Place. 2012;18:31–38.

41.

Colabianchi

Kinsella

Coulton

Moore

. Utilization and physical activity levels at renovated and unrenovated school playgrounds. Prev Med. 2009;48: 140–143.

42.

Burt

Barber

. Elementary Statistics for Geographers. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 2009.

43.

Kaczynski

Potwarka

Saelens

. Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks. Am J Public Health. 2008;98:1451–1456.

44.

Rung

Mowen

Broyles

Gustat

. The role of park conditions and features on park visitation and physical activity. J Phys Act Health. 2011;8(suppl 2):S178–S187.

45.

Stratton

Mullan

. The effect of multicolor playground markings on children's physical activity level during recess. Prev Med. 2005;41:828–833.

46.

Haug

Torsheim

Sallis

Samdal

. The characteristics of the outdoor school environment associated with physical activity. Health Educ Res. 2010;25:248–256.

47.

Sallis

McKenzie

Elder

. Sex and ethnic differences in children's physical activity: discrepancies between self-report and objective measures. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 1998;10:277–284.

48.

Powell

Roberts

Ross

. Low physical fitness among fifth- and seventh-grade students, Georgia, 2006. Am J Prev Med. 2009;36:304–310.

49.

Trost

Rosenkranz

Dzewaltowski

. Physical activity levels among children attending after-school programs. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40:622–629.

50.

Uvacsek

Toth

Ridgers

. Examining physical activity and inactivity in 9–12 years old children. Acta Physiol Hung. 2011;98:313–320.

51.

Lam

JWK

Sit

CHP

Cerin

. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors in Hong Kong primary school children: prevalence and gender differences. Prev Med. 2010;51: 96–97.

52.

Waller

Gotway

. Applied Spatial Statistics for Public Health Data. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2004.

53.

McKenzie

Marshall

Sallis

Conway

. Leisure-time physical activity in school environments: an observational study using SOPLAY. Prev Med. 2000;30: 70–77.

54.

Blatchford

Baines

Pellegrini

. The social context of school playground games: sex and ethnic differences, and changes over time after entry to junior school. Br J Dev Psychol. 2003;21:481–505.

55.

Schur

Berk

Silver

. Connecting the ivory tower to Main Street: setting research priorities for real-world impact. Health Aff. 2009;28:W886–W899.

56.

Lee

Rubin

. The Impact of the Built Environment on Community Health: The State of Current Practice and Next Steps for a Growing Movement. Los Angeles, Calif: PolicyLink for the California Endowment; 2007.

57.

Pronk

Goetzel

. The practical use of evidence practice and research connected. Am J Prev Med. 2010;38:S229–S231.