After School Physical Activity Behaviors in Relation to Adult Supervision

Abstract

PURPOSE: The object of this study was to determine if adult supervision after school affects the physical activity behaviors of adolescents and how that relates to Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS: One hundred five students, ages 10-14 in grades 6, 7, and 8, were recruited from two middle schools in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Based on the students' BMI they were distributed into two categories, normal weight (NW<85% BMI) and overweight (OW,≥85% BMI). The students were asked complete an activity diary documenting type of activity, location, degree of supervision, accompanying participants and eating habits in 20 minute increments from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. for four days, Monday through Thursday. A Chi-Square test was used to determine differences in observed frequencies of behavior for OW vs. NW and for boys vs. girls; with the following categories: amount of time the youth spent alone or under adult supervision, minutes of physical activity, and kcal expended in physical activity. Significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Over 71% of the students fell into the NW category and were supervised 86% of the time, which was significantly higher (p<0.001) than the OW group, who spent 72% of its after school hours supervised. Students in the NW group ate more often (11% vs. 9% of time) and more frequently chose unhealthy foods (44% vs. 25%) compared to the OW group (p<0.001). Girls spent more time eating than boys (10% vs. 7%, respectively; p<0.001), but were more active (28% vs. 22%, respectively; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: OW middle school students have less adult supervision, but ate less than NW students. Middle school-aged girls eat more often than boys, but spend more time in physical activity.