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Can preschool playground factors explain children’s step counts during outdoor play?

Cardon G, Van Cauwenberghe E, Labarque V, Haerens L, De Bourdeaudhuij I

ISBNPA, Banff, 20-24 May, 2008

Introduction

• obesity epidemic is affecting even preschool children (Hedley et al., 2004)

• preschool children are at a critical period for the development of obesity (Janz et al., 2002)

• physical activity is an important contributor (Sherry et al., 2004)

� levels of habitual physical activity might be particularly important in the preschool period

Introduction

12%

82%

3% 3%

sedentarylightmoderatevigorous

Reilly et al, 2004: 2 – 4 % MVPAKelly et al, 2005: 3 % MVPA

N: 76, 4-5 yrs old*

*Are preschool children active enough. Objectively measured physical activity levels. Cardon G. De Bourdeaudhuij I., RQES, in press

PA promotion efforts also needed in the preschool period

Aim of the study

- Flanders, Belgium, virtually all children attend preschool- in preschool break times are scheduled (“recess”):

unstructuctured outdoor play

The present study aimed to investigate how physical activity levels are influenced by environmental factors during recess in preschool.

Methods: subjects

40/45 randomly selected preschools in East and West Flanders -1 school excluded (weather conditions)- data for 27 children omitted (< 15 steps recorded)

Final sample:

39 preschools: 15 to 30 children from each school

415 boys (age: 5.2 ± 0.4) and 368 girls (age: 5.3 ± 0.4)

� PA: Pedometers * Yamax Digi-walker pedometer TYPE SW-200

� Playground factors: Observations: presence of markings, soft surface, vegetation, height differences, availability of toys, the number of aiming equipments (e.g. goals, poles with one or more baskets), the numbers of playing equipment (e.g. swings, slides, climbing racks) and the numbers of teachers supervising Measurement: play space per child.

Comparison of pedometer and accelerometer measures of physical activity in pre-school children. Cardon G, De Bourdeaudhuij I. Ped Ex Sci, 2007, vol 19 (2): 205-214

Instruments

0,00 20,00 40,00 60,00 80,00 100,00

minutes

5000,00

7500,00

10000,00

12500,00

15000,00

17500,00

20000,00

step

s

Methods

Statistical analysis:� descriptive statistics: SPSS (12.0). � Univariate regression analyses MLwiN (2.02)

single-predictor two-level model (pupil-school)� To improve normality of “steps/min”: square root

Results

� children per m² : 0.15 (+0.08, range 0.02-0.44). � recess duration: 24.27 minutes (+11.05, range 9-50). � number of aiming equipment pieces: 1.79 (+1.2, range 0-4) � number of playing equipment pieces: 2.53 (+2.15, range 0-9) � markings: 24 / 39 playgrounds� height differences: 20 / 39 playgrounds � partly soft: 20 / 39 playgrounds � toys available: 23 / 39 playgrounds � vegetation: 21 / 39 playgrounds

Results

Boys: 27% of the variance in step counts attributed to the differences between schools

Girls: 35% of the variance in step counts attributed to the differences between schools

� Boys: 65 (± 36) steps per minute� Girls: 54 (± 28) steps per minute

(� = -0.622, p < 0.05)

Average step count: ± 1 step / sec

Results: Univariate multi-level analyses � (SE)

BOYS GIRLSChildren / m2 - 4.635 (2.104)* -5.411 (2.163)**Supervising teachers - 0.347 (0.235) - 0.526 (0.239)*Aiming equipment 0.106(0.152) -0.010 (0.016)Playing equipment - 0.056 (0.084) - 0.255 (0.418)Recess duration - 0.001 (0.000)**** - 0.001 (0.000)***Ground Surface - 0.687 (0.369)(*) - 0.601 (0.392)Markings 0.613 (0.384) 0.424 (0.412)Vegetation - 0.044(0.390) - 0.386 (0.403)

Height differences 0.614 (0.380) 0.459 (0.401)

Toys - 0.150 (0.392) - 0.035 (0.089)

Conclusion

- in boys and girls: more play space and shorter recesses (range 9-50 min) associated with more steps/min

providing sufficient play spaceorganize several recess periods during the day

- in girls: more supervising teachers associated with less steps/min

an activating approach of supervisors

- in boys: harder ground surface associated with more steps/minprovide sufficient hard ground surface

� Markings, playing and aiming equipment, vegetation, height differences, toys:

Not associated with steps/min

more activating kinds?

Limitations and strengths

-� Collection during winter time� Use of pedometers

+� Relatively large sample size� Use of objective measure and observations� Use of multilevel analyses

Conclusion

- pre-school recess: opportunity to increase FA- in pre-school children physical activity during outdoor play is associated with modifiable playground factors.

Studying the effects of intervening on these factors is of interest

The contribution of preschool playground factors in explaining children’s physical activityduring recess. G Cardon et al, IJBNPA, 2008, 5, 11

Thank you!