Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study

This study aimed to quantify, and examine grade level (Grade Kindergarten-2 vs. 3–6) and sex differences in the daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of primary school children, and the proportion of children meeting MVPA recommendations, across the school day and in break t...

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Main Authors: Nicole McCarthy, Alix Hall, Adam Shoesmith, Rachel Sutherland, Rebecca Hodder, Elizabeth Campbell, Nicole Nathan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-09-01
Series:Preventive Medicine Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552100108X
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language English
format Article
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author Nicole McCarthy
Alix Hall
Adam Shoesmith
Rachel Sutherland
Rebecca Hodder
Elizabeth Campbell
Nicole Nathan
spellingShingle Nicole McCarthy
Alix Hall
Adam Shoesmith
Rachel Sutherland
Rebecca Hodder
Elizabeth Campbell
Nicole Nathan
Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
Preventive Medicine Reports
Physical activity
Children
School
Cross sectional
author_facet Nicole McCarthy
Alix Hall
Adam Shoesmith
Rachel Sutherland
Rebecca Hodder
Elizabeth Campbell
Nicole Nathan
author_sort Nicole McCarthy
title Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
title_short Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
title_full Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
title_fullStr Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
title_sort australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional study
publisher Elsevier
series Preventive Medicine Reports
issn 2211-3355
publishDate 2021-09-01
description This study aimed to quantify, and examine grade level (Grade Kindergarten-2 vs. 3–6) and sex differences in the daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of primary school children, and the proportion of children meeting MVPA recommendations, across the school day and in break times. Consenting children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 from 12 Catholic primary schools within the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia (February-April 2017) wore accelerometers during school hours (approx. 9am-3 pm) for five school days. Differences in student physical activity by Grade (Kindergarten-2; Grade 3–6) and sex were analysed using regression mixed modelling for the whole school day, during class time and break time. Valid data was available for 1862 students. Mean (SD) minutes of MVPA were consistently higher for Grade K-2 compared to Grade 3–6 students respectively, 37.02 (12.4) and 32.6 (12.2) across the school day; 20.4 (8.4) and 15.3 (7.6) minutes within breaks. Over the whole school day 69.7% of Grade K-2 and 54.1% of Grade 3–6 met the recommended 30 min of MVPA. Boys had higher MVPA than girls and a higher proportion of boys met MVPA recommendations than girls with 68.9% and 52.4% over whole school day and 6.43% and 0.98% respectively during break times. A large percentage of Australian children are not meeting physical activity guidelines whilst at school, with declining levels of physical activity from Grade K-2 to Grade 3–6 especially evident in girls.
topic Physical activity
Children
School
Cross sectional
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552100108X
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spelling doaj-60d9e230a60b46b094ce67d0184d0b432021-08-14T04:29:59ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552021-09-0123101418Australian children are not meeting recommended physical activity levels at school: Analysis of objectively measured physical activity data from a cross sectional studyNicole McCarthy0Alix Hall1Adam Shoesmith2Rachel Sutherland3Rebecca Hodder4Elizabeth Campbell5Nicole Nathan6Hunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; Corresponding author.Hunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, AustraliaHunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaHunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaHunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaHunter New England Population Health, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 1000, New Lambton, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaThis study aimed to quantify, and examine grade level (Grade Kindergarten-2 vs. 3–6) and sex differences in the daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of primary school children, and the proportion of children meeting MVPA recommendations, across the school day and in break times. Consenting children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 from 12 Catholic primary schools within the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia (February-April 2017) wore accelerometers during school hours (approx. 9am-3 pm) for five school days. Differences in student physical activity by Grade (Kindergarten-2; Grade 3–6) and sex were analysed using regression mixed modelling for the whole school day, during class time and break time. Valid data was available for 1862 students. Mean (SD) minutes of MVPA were consistently higher for Grade K-2 compared to Grade 3–6 students respectively, 37.02 (12.4) and 32.6 (12.2) across the school day; 20.4 (8.4) and 15.3 (7.6) minutes within breaks. Over the whole school day 69.7% of Grade K-2 and 54.1% of Grade 3–6 met the recommended 30 min of MVPA. Boys had higher MVPA than girls and a higher proportion of boys met MVPA recommendations than girls with 68.9% and 52.4% over whole school day and 6.43% and 0.98% respectively during break times. A large percentage of Australian children are not meeting physical activity guidelines whilst at school, with declining levels of physical activity from Grade K-2 to Grade 3–6 especially evident in girls.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221133552100108XPhysical activityChildrenSchoolCross sectional