Associations between participation in organised physical activity in the school or community outside school hours, and neighbourhood play with child physical activity and sedentary time: a cross-sectional analysis of primary school-aged children from the UK

Russell Jago, Corrie Macdonald-Wallis, Emma Solomon-Moore, Janice Thompson, Deborah A. Lawlor, Simon J. Sebire

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Abstract

Objectives: Assess the extent to which participation in organised physical activity in the school or community outside school hours, and neighbourhood play, were associated with children’s physical activity and sedentary time.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Children were recruited from 47 state funded primary schools in Southwest England.

Participants: 1223 8-9 year old children.

Outcome measures: Accelerometer-assessed moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time.

Methods: Children wore an accelerometer and mean minutes of MVPA and sedentary time per day were derived. Children reported their attendance at organised physical activity in the school or community outside school hours, and neighbourhood play, using a piloted questionnaire. Cross-sectional linear and logistic regression were used to examine if attendance frequency at each setting (and all settings combined) was associated with moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time. Multiple imputation methods were used to account for missing data and increase sample size.

Results: Children who attended clubs at school 3-4 days per week obtained an average of 7.58 (95% CI: 2.7 to 12.4) more minutes of MVPA per day than children who never attended. Report of participation in the three other non-school-based activities were similarly associated with MVPA. Evidence for associations with sedentary time was generally weaker. Associations were similar in girls and boys. When the four different contexts were combined, each additional 1-2 activities participated in per week increased participants’ odds (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.26) of meeting the Government recommendations for 60 minutes of MVPA per day.

Conclusion: Participating in organised physical activity at school and in the community is associated with greater physical activity and reduced sedentary time among both boys and girls. All four types of activity contribute to overall physical activity, which provides parents with a range of settings in which to help their child be active.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBMJ open
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2017

Keywords

  • extra-curricular
  • play
  • Physical activity
  • children
  • clubs
  • accelerometer

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