Leisure-time Physical Activity In Children Research Articles

Environmental and social determinants of leisure-time physical activity in children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundIt is increasingly recognized that children's physical activity behaviors are shaped by neighborhood environment factors and their parent's support. However, these factors have been scarcely studied among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a population at risk of inactivity. ObjectiveThis cross-sectional survey study was designed to examine how neighborhood environmental factors and parental support are related to physical activity levels of children with ASD. Also, this study examined if the relationship between the environment and physical activity is modified by demographic factors and COVID-19 related concerns. MethodsAn online survey was completed by parents of children with ASD aged 10–17 years. The questionnaire included items related to environmental factors (i.e., distance to school, distance to park, existence of sidewalks, walkability), parent support for physical activity (i.e., encouraging, watching, and providing transportation), child's physical activity, and demographic characteristics. The instrument also queried parental concerns about COVID-19 and their child's physical activity participation. ResultsThe results indicate that proximity to a local park and to school is positively associated with physical activity. Parent's encouraging behavior correlated with and predicted children's physical activity levels. Also, higher levels of COVID-19 related concerns among parents were related to decreased physical activity supporting behaviors. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the neighborhood environment, in particular the distance between home and parks and schools, and parent support behavior are influential factors that may shape physical activity behaviors for children with ASD.

Predictors of school students' leisure-time physical activity: An extended trans-contextual model using Bayesian path analysis.

The present study aimed to examine effects of motivational and social cognition constructs on children's leisure-time physical activity participation alongside constructs representing implicit processes using an extended trans-contextual model. The study adopted a correlational prospective design. Secondary-school students (N = 502) completed self-report measures of perceived autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers, autonomous motivation in PE and leisure-time contexts, and social cognition constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), intentions, trait self-control, habits, and past behavior in a leisure-time physical activity context. Five weeks later, students (N = 298) self-reported their leisure-time physical activity participation. Bayesian path analyses supported two key premises of the model: perceived autonomy support was related to autonomous motivation in PE, and autonomous motivation in PE was related to autonomous motivation in leisure time. Indirect effects indicated that both forms of autonomous motivation were related to social cognition constructs and intentions. However, intention was not related to leisure-time physical activity participation, so model variables reflecting motivational processes did not account for substantive variance in physical activity participation. Self-control, attitudes, and past behavior were direct predictors of intentions and leisure-time physical activity participation. There were indirect effects of autonomous motivation in leisure time on intentions and physical activity participation mediated by self-control. Specifying informative priors for key model relations using Bayesian analysis yielded greater precision for some model effects. Findings raise some questions on the predictive validity of constructs from the original trans-contextual model in the current sample, but highlight the value of extending the model to incorporate additional constructs representing non-conscious processes.

The Roles of Grit and Motivation in Predicting Children's Leisure-Time Physical Activity: One-Year Effects.

In this study, we tested two alternative models for investigating the ability of dimensions of personal grit (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort) and autonomous motivation to predict the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) over a one-year period of 256 youth (aged 11-15 years at the beginning of the study). Specifically, we compared a model in which dimensions of grit were assumed to predict LTPA through autonomous motivation with a model in which autonomous motivation was assumed to predict LTPA through dimensions of grit. We tested the two models using variance-based structural equation modelling with Warp PLS v7.0 software. Both models showed a good fit with the data and equally explained 41% of the variance in LTPA over this one-year time period. However, the model based on the total effect of autonomous motivation (β = 0.448, p < 0.001, ES = 0.229) on LTPA through the dimensions of grit was stronger than the model based on the total effect of perseverance of effort (β = 0.356, p < 0.001, ES = 0.126) on LTPA through autonomous motivation, and the total effect of consistency of interest was not significant (β = -0.029, p > 0.05, ES = 0.003). Our findings underscore the relatively greater importance of the interplay between autonomous motivation and perseverance of effort, versus consistency of interest, in predicting LTPA among youth over a one-year period.

Leisure-time physical activity, objective urban neighborhood built environment, and overweight and obesity of Chinese school-age children

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese children and adolescents has a significant increase. This study aims to investigate the associations between objective urban neighborhood built environment, leisure-time physical activity, and overweight and obesity of Chinese school-age children between 6 and 13 years old. This study conducted surveys at thirty-two public elementary schools, evenly chosen from four strata of residential building density and located in 16 urban districts of Shanghai, China. A total of 719 completed surveys were collected between May 2015 and April 2016. There were 447 records geocoded to their home address. Objective neighborhood built environmental attributes were measured in 200-m and 400-m buffers of respondent's home using application programming interfaces provided by a Chinese web mapping services company. We found that active school commuters were more physically active than passive commuters. Distance from home to school and counts of restaurants in 400-meter buffer of a respondent's home were positively associated with school-age children's duration of leisure-time physical activity in a week. School-age children's BMI was negatively associated with their duration of leisure-time physical activity. This is one of first studies that quantified the association between objectively measured neighborhood built environmental attributes and children's leisure-time physical activity in China.

Parental Support and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Children: A Yearlong Cluster-Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial

ABSTRACTPurpose: We studied whether physical activity (PA) counseling for parents influenced the level of parental support of children’s PA and leisure-time PA in children of different levels of initial parental support. We hypothesized that the initial level of parental support would moderate the intervention efficacy. Method: Children (n = 44, Mage = 6.09 ± 1.17 years) and their parents (n = 61) randomly assigned to an intervention group received counseling for 6 months. Children in the control group (n = 47, Mage = 6.12 ± 1.11 years) and their parents (n = 63) did not receive any counseling. Parental support was assessed using the Family Physical Activity Environment Questionnaire, and children’s leisure-time PA was recorded using triaxial accelerometers at baseline, at 6 months, and at 12 months. The efficacy of the intervention was tested by linear mixed-effects modeling adjusted for confounding variables (Model 1) and additionally for children’s participation in organized PA or sports (Model 2). Results: Parents within the lowest initial parental support intervention tertile significantly increased their support, and their children’s mean level of leisure-time PA significantly improved compared with the corresponding controls during the counseling period. On the other hand, intervention was found to have an unfavorable influence especially in the PA of children of initially highly supportive parents. Conclusion: Targeting PA counseling for parents with low support of their children’s PA could contribute to better family-based PA counseling efficacy.

Association of Self-Perceived Physical Competence and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Childhood-A Follow-Up Study.

The basis of self-perceived physical competence is built in childhood and school personnel have an important role in this developmental process. We investigated the association between initial self-perceived physical competence and reported leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) longitudinally in 10-, 12-, and 15-year-old children. This longitudinal follow-up study comprises pupils from an elementary school cohort (N = 1346) in the city of Turku, Finland (175,000 inhabitants). The self-perceived physical competence (fitness and appearance) and LTPA data were collected with questionnaires. The full longitudinal data were available from 571 pupils based on repeated studies at the ages of 10, 12, and 15 years in 2004, 2006, and 2010. We analyzed the association of self-perceived physical competence and LTPA using regression models. Self-perceived physical competence was positively associated with LTPA at all ages (10 years p < .05, 12 years p < .0001, 15 years p < .0001). Increase in the self-perceived physical fitness scores was likely to associate with higher LTPA at each age point (10 years [odds ratio, OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.09-1.27; 12 years [OR] = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.18-1.37; and 15 years [OR] = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.19-1.38). Self-perceived physical competence is associated with LTPA in children and adolescents, and the association is strengthened with age.

Neighborhood and family perceived environments associated with children's physical activity and body mass index

BackgroundA growing body of research has been examining neighborhood environment related to children's physical activity and obesity. However, there is still not enough evidence from Latin America. ObjectiveTo investigate the association of neighborhood and family perceived environments, use of and distance to public open spaces with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and body mass index (BMI) in Argentinean school-aged children. MethodsSchool-based, cross-sectional study with 1777 children (9 to 11years) and their parents, in Cordoba city during 2011. Children were asked about LTPA and family perceived environment. Parents were asked about neighborhood perceived environment, children's use of public open spaces and distance. Weight and height were measured for BMI. We modeled children's LTPA and BMI z-score with structural equation models with latent variables for built, social and safety neighborhood environments. ResultsParents' perceived neighborhood environment was not related with children's LTPA and BMI. Children's perceived autonomy and family environment were positively associated with LTPA. Use of unstructured open spaces and, indirectly, the distance to these, was associated with LTPA among girls. Greater distance to parks reduced their use by children. ConclusionsPolicies to increase children's LTPA should include access to better public open spaces, increasing options for activity. A family approach should be incorporated, reinforcing its role for healthy development.

FACTORS INFLUENCING LEISURE TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF CHILDREN

Grounding of research.Scientific problem discussed in the article-what factors influence children’sleisure time physical activity. Inorder to choose the right means to encourage children to be more physicalactive, it is important to analyse what factors can influence this. Leisure time is an important routine ofchildren’s everyday life, and engaging into physical activities during leisure time brings a lot of benefits.Theproblem isrelevantasit is important to discuss all the aspects related to the ways that could encourage childrenfor physical activity, including the analysis of factors, influencing their leisure time physical activity.Thegoalof research–to analysefactors influencingleisure time physical activity physical activity of children. Objectsof research: To discuss importance of leisure time physical activity for children.To identify groups of factorsimportantfor children leisure time physical activity physical activity. Research object subject–factorsinfluencingleisure time physical activity physical activity of children. Qualitative methods were used in thisarticle, performing comparative analysis of scientific literature. Scientific articles discussing results ofempirical research were chosen for the analysis. Most articles that are analysed were published in 2007–2015.Results of research.Results of research reveal that leisure time physical activity is especially importantfor children for overall benefit of physical activity for their physical and mental health (in childhood and infuture). According to the theories explaining factors influencing leisure time physical activity such groups offactors may be determined: psychosocial factors (internal factors), environmental factors including factors ofsocial support (family, school), physical environment and political factors. Results reveal that psychologicalfactors, such as extraversion, conscientiousness, enjoyment, self-efficacy are related to higher levels ofphysical activity. Gender also matters–boys are usually more physically active that girls (especially there aregreat differences in adolescence). Influence of socioeconomic factors is not obvious (smaller children’sphysical activity does not correlate to financial state of family, but it does in later age). Parents may have greatinfluence on children’s physical activity modelling, encouraging, providing and involving their children withphysical activities. But children’s physical activity is negatively influenced if home surroundings encouragesedentary leisure time activities. Efforts of school to create availability of organized physical activities withsupervision, also rational daytime table, giving children time for being physically active, may have benefit.However neighbourhood environmental and facility factorsare notrelevant to explain children’s andadolescents’ physical activity.Main conclusions of research.1. Physical activity should be a part of leisure time routine, assuringthat children would be physically active daily.2. Two main groups of factors can be treated as significant inaffecting physical activityof children: psychosocial factors, and factors of social support (family, home,school). Neighbourhood environmental and facility factorsare notrelevant to explain children’s andadolescents’ physical activity. In the context of what was discussed above.Keywords:leisure time,physical activity,children,adolescents.

Patterns of physical activity in children with haemophilia

The current widespread use of prophylaxis in developed countries has enabled greater participation in physical activity. However, there are no data available on leisure-time physical activity in Australian children with haemophilia. The data reported here were obtained from a case-crossover study nested in a prospective cohort study of 104 boys with moderate and severe haemophilia followed for one year. Each child's physical activity was assessed using a modifiable physical activity questionnaire (Kriska's MAQ) administered at baseline, and a one-week prospective activity diary at a randomly determined time. Children were aged 4-18 years. The median time spent in sport or leisure-time physical activity in the preceding year was 7.9 h/week (IQR 4.6 to 12.9). The median time spent in vigorous physical activity was 3.8 h/week (IQR 1.6 to 6.4) and in moderate and vigorous physical activity 6.4 h/week (IQR 3.7 to 10.0). The median small-screen time was 2.5 h/day (IQR 0.5 to 2.5). Forty-five per cent of all children and 61% of children over the age of 10 years played at least one competitive sport. Averaged across one week, 43% of all children met the Australian government physical activity guidelines for children and 36% met the guidelines for small-screen time. This study provides the first data regarding leisure-time physical activity in children with haemophilia living in Australia. The majority of Australian children with haemophilia are not meeting the national physical activity and small-screen time guidelines.

Assessing the Social and Physical Contexts of Children's Leisure-Time Physical Activity: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

To use Ecological Momentary Assessment with mobile phones to describe where and with whom children's leisure-time physical activity occurs. Repeated assessments across 4 days (Friday-Monday) during nonschool time (20 total). Chino, California, and surrounding communities. Primarily low to middle income children (N =121; aged 9-13 years; x¯=11.0 years, SD =1.2 years; 52% male, 38% Hispanic/Latino). Electronic surveys measured current activity (e.g., active play/sports/exercise, watching TV/movies), social company (e.g., family, friends, alone), physical location (e.g., home, outdoors, school), and other perceived contextual features (e.g., safety, traffic, vegetation, distance from home). Analysis . Multilevel linear and multinomial logistic regression. Most of children's physical activity occurred outdoors (away from home) (42%), followed by at home (indoors) (30%), front/backyard (at home) (8%), someone else's house (8%), at a gym/recreation center (3%), and other locations (9%). Children's physical activity took place most often with multiple categories of people together (e.g., friends and family) (39%), followed by family members only (32%), alone (15%), and with friends only (13%). Age, weight status, income, and racial/ethnic differences in physical activity contexts were observed. The most frequently reported contexts for children's leisure time physical activity were outdoors and with family members and friends together.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Elementary Schools: Analysis of Contextual Conditions

Little is known about children's leisure-time physical activity (PA) at school and how it is associated with contextual variables. The purpose of this study was to objectively assess children's voluntary PA during 3 daily periods and examine modifiable contextual factors. We conducted SOPLAY (System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth) observations before school, during recess, and at lunchtime in 137 targeted activity areas in 13 elementary schools over 18 months. During observations, each child was coded as Sedentary, Walking, or Vigorous, and simultaneous entries were made for area characteristics (accessibility, usability, presence of supervision, loose equipment, and organized activities). Logistic regression analysis was used to test associations between PA and area characteristics. Assessors made 2349 area visits and observed 36,995 children. Boys had more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 66.2 vs 60.0%, p < .001) and more vigorous PA (29.8 vs 24.6%; p < .001) than girls. Areas were typically accessible and usable, but provided organized activities infrequently (16.5%). Odds of engaging in MVPA were greater during lunch and recess than before school and in areas with play equipment (p < .05). Children accrued a substantial amount of voluntary PA during leisure time at school. Their PA would likely be increased if school playground equipment was more readily available and if supervisors were taught to provide active games and promote PA rather than suppress it.

FTO Genotype Is Associated with Body Mass Index after the Age of Seven Years But Not with Energy Intake or Leisure-Time Physical Activity

A common variant in the FTO gene, rs9939609, associates with body mass index (BMI) in adults and in children aged 7 yr or older. Our aim was to examine the associations of the FTO genotype with BMI, cardiovascular risk factors, energy intake, and leisure-time physical activity in children followed up since infancy. Healthy participants of the STRIP Study, genotyped for rs9939609, were followed from age 7 months (n = 640) to 15 yr (n = 438). The children were randomly assigned to lifestyle intervention and control groups. Height, weight, blood pressure, and serum lipids were measured annually. Food records and physical activity index were obtained at age 15 yr. The FTO genotype did not associate with BMI in children younger than 7 yr of age. From age 7 yr onward, the children homozygous for the A allele had progressively higher BMI than the children with one or two T alleles (P = 0.029 for FTO by age interaction). Furthermore, in longitudinal, BMI Z-score-adjusted analysis, the AA genotype associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and with elevated serum total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P = 0.01, P < 0.001, P = 0.05, and P = 0.04 for main effect, respectively). The FTO genotype did not associate with energy intake or physical activity index at age 15. The FTO *Study group interactions were not significant. Our results suggest that the effect of the FTO genotype on BMI becomes evident only after age 7 yr. These results further suggest that the FTO gene is not directly associated with energy intake or physical activity.