Physical Activity In Girls Research Articles

Family Mealtime Communication in Single- and Dual-Headed Households Among Hispanic Adolescents With Overweight and Obesity

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of adolescent self-report of family mealtime communication on obesity-related behaviors in single- and dual-parent households and by sex in a sample of overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents. DesignCross-sectional analysis of a randomized control trial SettingEighteen middle schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida. ParticipantsTwo-hundred and eighty Hispanic seventh- and eighth-grade students Main Outcome MeasuresPhysical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and added sugar intake. AnalysisStructural equation modeling. ResultsThe findings indicate that mealtime communication was associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in boys (β = .30; P = .001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52–2.68) and physical activity in girls (β = .26; P = .010; 95% CI, 0.16–1.30). Moreover, a single-parent household was associated with dietary consumption in boys (fruit and vegetable intake [β= .18; P = .039; 95% CI, 0.02–2.60] but had a moderating effect on fruit and vegetable consumption in girls (β = .21; P = .015; 95% CI, 0.14–2.19). Conclusions and ImplicationsFamily mealtime communication may impact dietary and physical activity outcomes in Hispanic adolescents with overweight and obesity, but differentially across gender and household parent makeup. These findings, together with the prevalence of single parents, point to the importance of targeting Hispanic single parents as agents of change to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in their children via positive mealtime interactions.

Tempo de tela e distúrbios do sono em adolescentes escolares ativos e inativos

O público jovem passa por transformações de suas competências a todo momento tornando-se importante a análise de possíveis impactos causados pelo crescente uso das telas ao sono e a saúde. O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar se há associação entre o uso excessivo do tempo de tela e distúrbios do sono dos escolares ativos e inativos. Trata-se de um estudo de campo, do tipo ex-post facto, analítico, de corte transversal, onde a amostra do tipo conveniência foi composta por 231 escolares com idade de 14 a 19 anos, de ambos os sexos. Para a mensuração do tempo de tela foi indagado ao adolescente: quanto tempo em horas o mesmo passa em frente a tela do smartphone, Tv e computador em um dia normal de semana. Utilizou-se os questionários IPAQ-Versão curta, para verificar o nível de atividade física e o Índice de Qualidade do Sono de Pittsburgh – (PSQI) para distúrbios do sono. As análises dos dados foram conduzidas através do software JASP na versão 0.9.0.1, através de estatística descritiva por distribuição de frequência. Teste qui-quadrado (x²) foi utilizado para verificar as associações entre as proporções entre o sexo, atividade física e as variáveis categorizadas, adotando um α<0,05. Os resultados apontam que os adolescentes pesquisados não apresentam distúrbios do sono, serem ativos fisicamente, e uso excessivo de smartphone. Apresenta também uma associação entre o sono e atividade física em meninos, (p=0,034), e entre o tempo de tela em frente a computadores e atividade física em meninas (p=0,055). Conclui-se que a atividade física se associação com a qualidade do sono e com o tempo de tela frente a computadores.

Possible Effects of Social Media Use on Adolescent Health Behaviors and Perceptions.

Social media use is one of the most popular leisure activities among adolescents. Concomitant to this is a growing concern regarding problematic social media use and its relationship with health behaviors. To further increase the body of research into this phenomenon, our study explored the relationship between problematic social media use and physical activity levels, sleep peculiarities, and life satisfaction in Lithuanian children and adolescents. The study was conducted in April to June 2018 during the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey in Lithuania, a collaborative project of the World Health Organization. The sample comprised 4,191 school children (mean age 13.9 ± 1.69 years). The findings show that problematic social media use associates with about two times higher odds for worse sleep quality and lower life satisfaction. Problematic social media use was related to lower levels of vigorous physical activity in girls, but the possible effect on moderate physical activity was in boys and was inverse-boys with problematic social media use reported higher levels of moderate physical activity. Overall, in our study, girls with problematic social media use tended to have more negative health perceptions than boys. The results suggest that problematic social media use is an independent risk factor for negative health behaviors. This study adds to the accumulating knowledge that problematic social media use among adolescents may lead to worse health perceptions and, likely, further negative health outcomes.

КРИТИЧНІ ПЕРІОДИ У ФОРМУВАННІ МОТИВАЦІЇ ДО ЗАНЯТЬ РУХОВОЮ АКТИВНІСТЮ ШКОЛЯРІВ З УРАХУВАННЯМ ЇХ ГЕНДЕРНИХ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК

Introduction and study purpose. The presented article shows the theoretical analysis of literature sources on the problem of the gender approach in physical education of pupils. Considering the problems of physical education of young people through the prism of gender, Ukrainian and foreign scholars emphasize the relationship between gender and personality-oriented approaches as the basis for the humanization of the educational process. With the purpose to determine the critical periods of decreased and increased motivation of students to engage in specially organized motor activity, taking into account their gender characteristics, it is necessary to monitor how the quantitative composition of masculine, feminine and androgynous boys and girls change with age and how these psychological characteristics affect their motivational priorities to motor activity. Material and methods. The results of the study are based on the materials of questionnaires and testing of 638 students of 5-11 forms (303 boys and 335 girls) of secondary education institutions. A set of methods was used to solve the tasks: analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific and methodological literature; questionnaire, psychological and diagnostic testing, test questionnaire S. Bem "Masculinity - femininity", generally accepted methods of mathematical statistics. Results. It is proved that androgynous and feminine gender characteristics influence the motivation to be engaged in physical activity in girls. The high level of motivation to engage in physical education and sports in boys coincides with a high level of androgyny and femininity. The critical period of reduced motivation to engage in physical education and sports falls on the period of increasing manifestation of masculine characteristics. Summary. As a result of the study, we received a fairly large amount of necessary knowledge, which gives us the opportunity to develop a model of components of individual physical culture of adolescents and young people with evaluation criteria for different age and gender groups. Key words: physical education, gender approach, boys, girls, masculinity, androgyny, femininity

Parental and peer support and modelling in relation to domain-specific physical activity participation in boys and girls from Germany.

Physical activity (PA) as a precondition of child development is related with social environmental correlates. However, domain-specific PA and gender issues have been neglected in studies on social support and modelling and PA in school-aged children. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships of parental and peer modelling and social support with domain-specific PA participation in a large sample of school-aged children, taking gender into account. 3,505 school children aged 6 to 17 years old participated in the German nationwide 'MoMo' cohort-study. By using the MoMo-PAQ the participants and their parents provided self-report data on perceived social support and social modelling and domain-specific PA participation. Relationships of social environmental variables and the physical outcomes were analysed by logistic regression analyses. At secondary school level, girls were less likely than boys to participate in physical activity in and outside of sports clubs, extra-curricular physical activity and in outdoor play (p < 0.05), but at primary school level this pattern only applied to club sport (p < 0.01). Girls also received less social support than boys (p < 0.01). Physical activity participation in all domains was associated with any of the social support and modelling variables and differences between physical activity domains and between boys and girls occurred. Most consistently physical activity in sports clubs was related with the social environmental correlates in boys (primary school: R2 = 0.60; secondary school: R2 = 0.45) and girls (primary school: R2 = 0.53; secondary school: R2 = 0.47). In future, reciprocal relationships of social environmental variables and PA should be considered in longitudinal studies to obtain insights into the direction of the associations. Furthermore, interventions encompassing the social environment and focussed particularly on the promotion of domain-specific PA in girls in secondary school-age are warranted.

Go Girls!-Dance-Based Fitness to Increase Enjoyment of Exercise in Girls at Risk for PCOS.

Weight loss can reduce the hyperandrogenemia associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in peripubertal girls. Yet, adolescent girls have the lowest rates of physical activity and enjoyment of exercise. We created a dance-based support group (Go Girls!) to entice physical activity and improve enjoyment. Girls ages 7–21 over the 85th BMI percentile were recruited and attended once-weekly sessions for 3–6 months. We assessed changes in Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), anthropometrics, laboratory data, and amounts of home exercise at 0, 3, and 6 months. Sixteen girls completed either 3 or 6 months. PACES scores were surprisingly high at baseline and remained high. Systolic blood pressure percentile decreased post-intervention. Although no group differences were observed, the majority of individual girls had decreased waist circumference, triglycerides, and metabolic syndrome severity score. Forty percent had decreased free testosterone levels. More girls enjoyed physical education class, got exercise outside of school, and made other lifestyle changes. This dance-based support group was enjoyed by girls and demonstrated health benefits. Continued efforts to engage girls in physical activity are necessary to protect girls from the consequences of obesity, including PCOS and metabolic syndrome. Dance exercise remains a promising tool to encourage physical activity in girls.

Abstract 261: Gender-Specific Differences in Behavioral and Physiological Risk Factors Associated with Childhood Obesity

Background: Prior research has shown differences in physiologic and behavioral measurements of adolescent boys and girls. This study sought to determine if similar gender-specific differences exist between participants of the Project Healthy Schools (PHS) school-based wellness program, both at baseline and post-PHS intervention. Methods: Demographics, physiological measures and health behaviors were compared between 6 th grade girls and boys enrolled in PHS between 2004-2017 at baseline and post-PHS intervention. Results: Health behavior data were collected in 19,995 students (46.1% girls); physiological measures were collected in 2,922 students (52.7% girls). Boys within the physiological sample were older than girls (11.62 v. 11.55, p&lt;0.001). At baseline, girls had lower HDL cholesterol and higher resting and recovery heart rates, but reported greater consumption of fruits and vegetables and less sugary beverages and fried meats than boys. Boys reported more vigorous exercise but greater hours of television and video game screen time than girls. Post-intervention, girls showed greater improvement in resting heart rate, fruit consumption and video game time. Conclusion: Girls had better health behaviors but poorer physiological markers at baseline. Lower rates of physical activity in girls at baseline highlight a potential area of focus for the PHS intervention in this population. Future exploration of gender-specific targeted strategies to improve health behaviors is warranted.

Sociocultural factors related to the physical activity in boys and girls

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE:To verify in male and female Brazilian adolescents the association of demographic, psychosocial, behavioral and sociocultural characteristics with the regular practice of physical activity.METHODS:The sample consisted of 109,104 adolescents from all Brazilian states attending the 9th year of elementary education in 2012. The response variable was the regular practice of physical activity (300+ minutes/week). The explanatory variables were grouped into four fields: demographic, psychosocial, behavioral and sociocultural. The Poisson regression was stratified by sex to evaluate the association.RESULTS:The prevalence of active adolescents was 20.2%, higher in boys (27.9%) than in girls (13.1%). It was observed a greater practice of physical activity in boys of lower age group, children of mothers with higher schooling, who consumed healthy foods such as beans, fruits, vegetables, and milk, as well as among those with family supervision. At the same time, unhealthy habits such as insomnia and alcohol consumption were also positively associated with physical activity. In girls, greater physical activity was observed among those who lived with mothers and whose mothers had higher schooling. In addition to family supervision, the practice of physical activity in girls was also positively associated with the frequency of meals with their parents. However, as in boys, insomnia and alcohol consumption were associated with an increase in the practice of physical activity.CONCLUSIONS:One-fifth of adolescents practice physical activity regularly, demonstrating the need for specific public policies to increase the percentage of active young people in the country. Maternal schooling, healthy eating habits and family supervision were associated with regular physical activity in boys and girls, evidencing the importance of the family for the acquisition of healthy habits in this age group.

Funkcjonowanie dziewcząt i chłopców chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 na tle rówieśników w środowisku szkolnym

The aim of the study was to assess the differences in functioning at school and fellow group, pupils with type 1 diabetes, compared to their healthy peers in the range of physical health. The research covered 218 girls and boys, aged in 7 to 19 years old (104 girls and 114 boys), including 52 girls and 57 boys from the diabetology clinic in the Regional Specialized Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn. Those were patients with clinically diagnosed insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes mellitus. The remaining participants were children and youth from the Olsztyn’s schools. All participants were divided into age groups corresponding to their education stages. Survey questionnaire was made of a polish version of the KIDSCREEN questionnaire for testing the quality of life related to the health of children and adolescents. Area regarding aspects of the physical health was taken into account (self-assessment of health status, physical activity of girls and boys, their physical fitness and ability to move in the immediate area). The research shows that there were no statistically significant differences in relation to the factors related with the functioning in the school environment and among the peers, between children with type 1 diabetes and their healthy peers at all educational stages, except for the fourth education stage, where significant differences were noted in boys. Healthy students were more negative about the school than their peers with diabetes. The disease did not affect the ability to concentrate and focus, both in girls andin boys. Only boys with diabetes from primary school were more likely to have problems with concentration and attention. The results of tests of healthy and sick people were also comparable in relations with teachers. Girls and boys both healthy and diabetic had no problems in establishing good relationships with their teachers. Only in high school there were statistically significant differences in favor of students with diabetes. They had better relations with teachers than their healthy peers.

Exploring the Effect of Perceptions on Children’s Physical Activity in Varying Geographic Contexts: Using a Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Examine a Cross-Sectional Dataset

Most Canadian children are not meeting the recommended 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Research suggests that children’s perceptions of their environment have an influence on their physical activity behaviours, but there is a lack of generalizability among previous work. The purpose of this study was to assess the mediating effect of children’s perceptions of barriers to physical activity on the relationship between their environments and their level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (measured with accelerometers). Structural equation modelling stratified by gender was used to assess the research objective in a sample of 546 participants aged 8–14 years old from Northwestern and Southwestern Ontario, Canada. In both models stratified by gender, perceptions of barriers did not significantly mediate the relationship between urbanicity and physical activity. Independent of all other factors, there was no significant relationship between urbanicity and physical activity in girls, but there was in boys. These results offer insight into potential processes by which perceptions impact physical activity and provide initial information to further our understanding of the behavioural aspects of physical activity through multiple levels of analysis. Researchers must continue to improve efforts for quantifying the experience of children’s daily activity contexts.

Association of sports and physical activity with obesity among teenagers in Poland.

The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between the body mass index and sports and physical activities in an unbiased, simple, random sample of teenagers from mid-northeastern Poland. Children and adolescents aged 10-19 years old were surveyed. The Internet-based survey was conducted to collect information on physical activity, leisure time, studying hours, weight, and height. Obesity was found to be low in the study population. The overall prevalence of overweight was not higher than 8%. Only 0.6% of participants were underweight. Overall, 68% of them confirmed participating in sports. Boys were frequently more active than girls (> 70% boys and > 60% girls). Participants mostly played soccer, volleyball, handball, or basketball (30.5%); 7% of them practiced martial arts and 16.5% of them participated in swimming. Sports activity significantly influenced body mass index. Obesity was not related to the lack of participation for physical activity in girls but a significant relationship was observed in boys (p < 0.02). The risk of obesity or overweight for inactive teenagers increased 2-fold (p < 0.01). We report the overall participation of teenagers from 2 cities in mid-northeastern Poland in sports and physical activities and demonstrate that the lack of statistically significant differences in the body mass index and obesity and overweight is prevalent among boys and girls. Obesity was significantly related to less physical activity in boys, and the likelihood of obesity or overweight increased in inactive teenagers. Thus, we suggest that the importance of overweight and obesity prevention programs should be emphasized. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(6):771-782.

Biocultural approach of the association between maturity and physical activity in youth

ObjectiveTo test the biocultural model through direct and indirect associations between biological maturation, adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, feelings of sadness, social relationships, and physical activity in adolescents. MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study conducted with 1,152 Brazilian adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years. Somatic maturation was estimated through Mirwald's method (peak height velocity). Physical activity was assessed through Baecke questionnaire (occupational, leisure, and sport contexts). Body mass index, body fat (sum of skinfolds), cardiorespiratory fitness (20‐m shuttle run test), self‐perceptions of social relationship, and frequency of sadness feelings were obtained for statistical modeling. ResultsSomatic maturation is directly related to sport practice and leisure time physical activity only among girls (β=0.12, p<0.05 and β=0.09, respectively, p<0.05). Moreover, biological (adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness), psychological (sadness), and social (satisfaction with social relationships) variables mediated the association between maturity and physical activity in boys and for occupational physical activity in girls. In general, models presented good fit coefficients. ConclusionBiocultural model presents good fit and emotional/biological factors mediate part of the relationship between somatic maturation and physical activity.

Engaging Fathers to Increase Physical Activity in Girls: The "Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered" (DADEE) Randomized Controlled Trial.

Existing strategies to increase girls' physical activity levels have seen limited success. Fathers may influence their children's physical activity, but often spend more time with their sons and rarely participate in family-based programs. To test a novel program designed to increase the physical activity levels of fathers and their daughters. In a two-arm RCT, 115 fathers (29-53 years) and 153 daughters (4-12 years) were randomized to (i) the "Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered" (DADEE) program, or (ii) a wait-list control. The 8-week program included weekly educational and practical sessions plus home tasks. Assessments were at baseline, 2 months (postintervention), and 9 months. The primary outcomes were father-daughter physical activity levels (pedometry). Secondary outcomes included screen-time, daughters' fundamental movement skill proficiency (FMS: perceived and objective), and fathers' physical activity parenting practices. Primary outcome data were obtained from 88% of daughters and 90% of fathers at 9 months. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed favorable group-by-time effects for physical activity in daughters (p = .02, d = 0.4) and fathers (p < .001, d = 0.7) at postintervention, which were maintained at 9 months. At postintervention and follow-up, significant effects (p < .05) were also identified for daughters' FMS competence (objective: d = 1.1-1.2; perceived: d = 0.4-0.6), a range of fathers' physical activity parenting practices (d = 0.3-0.8), and screen-time for daughters (d = 0.5-0.8) and fathers (d = 0.4-0.6, postintervention only). Program satisfaction and attendance were very high. This study provided the first experimental evidence that efforts to increase physical activity behavior in preadolescent girls would benefit from a meaningful engagement of fathers. Clinical Trial information: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615000022561.

Zdrowie fizyczne a funkcjonowanie w szkole na tle rówieśników dziewcząt i chłopców chorych na cukrzycę typu 1

The aim of the study was to assess the differences in functioning at school and fellow group, pupils with type 1 diabetes, compared to their healthy peers in the range of physical health on each educational stage. The research covered 218 girls and boys, aged in 7 to 19 years old (104 girls and 114 boys), including 52 girls and 57 boys from the diabetology clinic in the Regional Specialized Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn. Those were patients with clinically diagnosed insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes mellitus. The remaining participants were children and youth from the Olsztyn’s schools. All participants were divided into age groups corresponding to their education stages. Survey questionnaire was made of a polish version of the KIDSCREEN questionnaire for testing the quality of life related to the health of children and adolescents. Area regarding aspects of the physical health was taken into account (self-assessment of health status, physical activity of girls and boys, their physical fitness and ability to move in the immediate area). The research shows that most girls and boys with type 1 diabetes are more active than their healthy peers, and there is no sense of lower self-fitness. Pupils with diabetes believe that higher physical fitness affects in better relationships with their contemporaries. The vast majority of girls from both studied groups, at all educational stages, positively evaluate their health. In addition the health status of boys at the 1st and 4th educational stage is self-assessed in a positive way in contrast to boys with type 1 diabetes at the 2nd and 3rd educational stage.

Biocultural approach of the association between maturity and physical activity in youth

ObjectiveTo test the biocultural model through direct and indirect associations between biological maturation, adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, feelings of sadness, social relationships, and physical activity in adolescents. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted with 1,152 Brazilian adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years. Somatic maturation was estimated through Mirwald's method (peak height velocity). Physical activity was assessed through Baecke questionnaire (occupational, leisure, and sport contexts). Body mass index, body fat (sum of skinfolds), cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run test), self-perceptions of social relationship, and frequency of sadness feelings were obtained for statistical modeling. ResultsSomatic maturation is directly related to sport practice and leisure time physical activity only among girls (β=0.12, p<0.05 and β=0.09, respectively, p<0.05). Moreover, biological (adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness), psychological (sadness), and social (satisfaction with social relationships) variables mediated the association between maturity and physical activity in boys and for occupational physical activity in girls. In general, models presented good fit coefficients. ConclusionBiocultural model presents good fit and emotional/biological factors mediate part of the relationship between somatic maturation and physical activity.

Effect of physical activity level on body build and physical fitness of girls and boys aged 10-19 years

Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the somatic build and physical fitness of children and adolescents aged 10-19 years depending on their physical activity. Basic procedures: The survey was conducted in the years 2008-2009 with 925 girls and 1016 boys aged 10-19 years, attending rural and urban schools in the Bielsk District. The following basic anthropometric measures were taken: body height, body mass, arm and shank circumference, thickness of three skinfolds (over the triceps, over the scapula, and over the iliac crest). The Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed from values of body height and mass measurements. Numeric values of somatotypological components were calculated as well; these including: endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy. Physical activity was evaluated based on the trials of the European Physical Fitness Test battery, and stratified acc. to a 3-level scale: low activity – up to 1 hour, moderate activity – between 1 and 3 hours, and high activity – 4 and more hours. In groups of the physical activity of girls and boys, values of somatic traits and results of motor tests were normalized with the use of equations indicating dependencies of mean values and standard deviations on age, according to Stupnicki et al. [1]. Significance of differences between the studied groups was evaluated using the analysis of variance ANOVA with “post-hoc” Newman-Keuls test. Results: The surveyed girls and boys with the highest physical activity were characterized by the lowest values of somatic traits, except for body height, and by the best results of physical fitness. Greater differences between results were observed in the girls. Conclusions: A correlation was demonstrated between the physical activity and somatic build and physical fitness of the surveyed girls and boys. Key words: physical activity, physical development, physical fitness, children and adolescents

Girl Scout Troop Meeting Time-segmented Patterns Of Physical Activity Driven By Task.

Fewer than half of children are currently meeting recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day, with fewer girls than boys meeting guidelines. Girl Scouts (GS) is a potential target setting for increasing PA in girls, though little is known about the time-segmented patterns of PA and the systemic drivers of these patterns during troop meetings. PURPOSE: To determine the microsystem influences on GS troop meeting time-segmented patterns of PA. METHODS: Girl Scout Troop leaders (troop n=7) were randomized to receive an intervention training on implementing policies to promote physical activity and healthy eating or a standard control. Meetings (7 meetings/troop) were observed and girls in attendance (n=76, 9-13 years old, mean ± SD = 10.51 ± 1.19 years) wore GT1M accelerometers. Two observers attended each meeting and recorded the start and stop point of time segments based on task (i.e., opening-closing, snack, active recreation [AR], Girl Scout curriculum [GSC]). The time-segmented episode accelerometer data were analyzed using Evenson cut-points. RESULTS: A total of 182 time segments were observed (mean/day±SD=3.77±1.24) with 24 AR (0.47±0.58), 63 GSC (1.31±0.80), 54 opening-closing (1.13±0.94), and 41 snack (0.85±0.58) segments. Mixed random effect models indicated treatment troops had significantly more AR segments per day (mean/day±SD= 0.89±0.12) than control troops (0.18±0.10). A significantly greater (p < 0.01) percentage of time was spent in MVPA during AR (mean±SE=17.19±1.11%) compared to GSC (0.39±0.81%), opening-closing (3.22±1.06%), and snack (0.61±0.87%). A significantly greater percentage of time (p <.01) was spent in MVPA during opening-closing segments compared to GSC and snack. A significantly greater (p <.01) percentage of time was spent sedentary/inactive in GSC (67.9±3.6%) compared to AR (32.26±4.1%) and open-closing (55.28±3.66%), and during snack (72.2±3.6%) compared to open-closing and AR. CONCLUSION: Troop meeting time-segmented patterns of physical activity were influenced by task. Intervention leaders devoted more time segments to AR than control leaders. Adding time segments conducive to PA to GS troop meeting could increase the percentage of time spent in MVPA.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and socioeconomic status among Finnish girls and boys aged 6–8 years

We studied differences in physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and the types of PA and SB between Finnish girls and boys and children from different socioeconomic backgrounds (SES). We assessed PA, SB, parental education, and household income using detailed questionnaires in a representative population sample of 486 children (238 girls, 248 boys) aged 6–8 years. Girls spent on average 1.7 h/day and boys 2.0 h/day in total PA (p = 0.002). Altogether 66% of girls and 54% of boys had less than 2 h of total PA per day (p = 0.012). Girls had lower levels of unsupervised PA (45 vs. 54 min/day, p = 0.001), supervised PA (1.5 vs. 1.9 h/week, p = 0.009), and PA during school recess (1.8 vs. 1.9 h/week, p = 0.032) than boys. Girls had higher levels of total SB (3.8 vs. 3.4 h/day, p = 0.015) but lower levels of screen-based SB (1.5 vs. 1.9 h/day, p < 0.001) than boys. Lower parental education and household income were associated with lower levels of supervised PA in girls (p = 0.011 and p = 0.008, respectively) and in boys (p = 0.006 and p = 0.003, respectively). Lower parental education and household income were also related to higher levels of screen-based SB in boys (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively) but not in girls. Girls have lower levels of total, unsupervised, and supervised PA, PA during recess, and screen-based SB but higher levels of total SB than boys. Lower parental education and household income are associated with lower levels of supervised PA in both genders and higher levels of screen-based SB in boys.

Perceived barriers to achieving a healthy weight: a qualitative study using focus groups at public and private schools in Guatemala City

BackgroundOverweight prevalence among Guatemalan girls is higher in public than in private schools. Little is known about adolescent girls’ perceptions of the right ways to achieve a healthy weight. This study examines public and private school adolescent girls’ perceptions of a “healthy weight,” and barriers and facilitators to achieving it.MethodsWe conducted 4 focus groups in public and private schools in Guatemala City with girls from 13 to 15 years old. The discussion guide included open-ended questions and activities aimed at examining perceptions of “healthy weight” and barriers and motivators to achieving it within the school environment. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data analyses followed established methods of content analysis.ResultsTwenty-eight girls (private school, n = 12; public school, n = 16) of ages ranging from 13.1 to 15.9 years (median, 14, IQR, 13.6–14.9) participated in the study. Girls identified images of thin and fit women as healthy. They cited healthy eating and physical activity as ways to achieve a healthy weight. Within the school environment, barriers to maintaining a healthy weight included a lack of healthy food options and the prioritization of sports for boys over girls. In public schools, facilities were less than optimal; in private schools, girls’ access to facilities was limited. Public school girls stated that their uniforms were inappropriate for exercising.ConclusionOur findings support the need to provide more healthy food options in Guatemalan schools. In addition, physical activity for girls should be promoted and facilities made available for their use.

Influence of parental perception of school safety and gender on children's physical activity in Mexico: A cross sectional study.

This cross sectional study aims to determine the effects of gender and parental perception of safety at school on children's physical activity (PA) levels. Parents of school aged Mexican children residing in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Puerto Vallarta, completed surveys about their children's PA measures. The physical activity indicators were evaluated using linear and logistical regression models. Analysis did not indicate that gender moderated the relationship between parental perception of safety and PA measures, but significant gender issues exist with girls participating less than boys in the three measures of PA in this study (p<0.001). Results suggest the need for additional interventions promoting physical activity in girls in Mexico.