The Association between Education Outside the Classroom and Physical Activity: Differences Attributable to the Type of Space?

Mads Bølling,Peter Bentsen,Lærke Mygind,Peter Elsborg,Erik Mygind

doi:10.3390/children8060486

Abstract

Education outside the classroom (EOtC) has become an attractive approach, not only for learning but also for health. This explorative, cross-sectional study investigated children’s sedentary behaviours (SED), light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) on school days with an EOtC session in green space compared to school days with EOtC in other environments and without EOtC. Teachers from 17 Danish school classes practised EOtC for one school year on a weekly basis and self-reported the characteristics of the EOtC environment. The pupils’ PA was device-measured for seven consecutive days in a random period during the school year with AX3 accelerometers. Across 617 pupils (age 9–13 years), PA intensity cases (N = 2264) on school days (8:10–14:00 h) with (n = 317) or without (n = 1947) EOtC were included in a mixed-effects regression analysis. Mean exposure to EOtC was 262 min per session. School days with green EOtC (e.g., parks, forests and nature schools) were associated with (mean, [95% CI]) −24.3 [−41.8, −7.7] min SED and +21.3 [7.7, 36.4] min LPA compared to school days with non-green EOtC (e.g., cultural and societal institutions or companies) and with +6.2 [−0.11, 11.48] min MVPA compared to school days with a school-ground EOtC. No sex differences were found. In conclusion, school days with green EOtC must be considered promising to counteract children’s sedentary behaviours during school hours.

Highlights

Physical inactivity is a concern in most Western and in high-income countries [1]
Education outside the classroom (EOtC) conducted in green space is associated with a modest time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) (MVPA), i.e., 6.2 min compared with school days with school-ground EOtC, school days with an EOtC session in green space seem beneficial compared with school days with an EOtC session in the school grounds in terms of light-intensity PA
There was a tendency of less sedentary behaviours (SED) time on school days with a green EOtC session compared with traditional school days, no other difference in the time spent in SED or light-intensity PA (LPA) was found compared to school days with an EOtC session in the school grounds, school days with a physical education (PE) lesson without an EOtC session or traditional school days

Summary

Introduction

Physical inactivity is a concern in most Western and in high-income countries [1]. Children’s daily physical activity (PA) has become increasingly polarised over the last 20 years. Difference between highly active and inactive children has increased and an increasing number of children are not meeting the recommended PA guidelines [2,3]. Many different efforts have been made to increase children’s PA and create solutions to change this problematic development [4]. A central context in which these sedentary lifestyle challenges should be tackled is schools [5]. The school is the context where children spend most time on average, only succeeded by their home [6,7]

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Conclusion