Prediction of Optimal Daily Step Count Achievement from Segmented School Physical Activity in Children

Abstract

Optimizing physical activity in childhood is needed for prevention of disease and for healthy social and psychological development. There is limited research examining how segmented school day physical activity patterns relate to a child achieving optimal physical activity levels. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship between step counts taken during specific school segments and achieving optimal school (6,000 steps/day) and daily (12,000 steps/day) step counts in children. METHODS: Participants included 1,714 school-aged children (Mean age = 9.7 ± 1.0 years) recruited across six elementary schools from the Mountain West Region of the U.S. Physical activity (step counts) was monitored for one school week using the Yamax SW-200 pedometer. Steps counts were recorded during each school segment (i.e., recesses, lunch, activity breaks, and physical education), during the entire school day between the hours of 8am and 3pm, and during the entire day between wakeup and going to bed for five days. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to determine the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of achieving both school and daily step count standards for every 1,000 steps taken during each school segment. RESULTS: The school segment that related strongest to a student achieving 6,000 steps during school hours was afternoon recess (OR = 40.03; P < 0.001) and for achieving 12,000 steps for the entire day was lunch recess (OR = 5.03; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The school segment that related the strongest to achieving the school step count cut-point was afternoon recess and the school segment that related the strongest to achieving the daily step count cut-point was lunch recess. School segments including lunch and afternoon recess play an important role for optimizing daily physical activity in children.