Elementary school physical activity opportunities and physical fitness of students: A statewide cross-sectional study of schools

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Patricia C. Cheung, Emory University; Padra A Franks, HealthMPowers; Michael R Kramer, Emory University; Christi M. Kay, HealthMPowers; Carolyn D Drews-Botsch, Emory University; Jean A. Welsh, Emory University; Julie A Gazmararian, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-01-15
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2019 Cheung et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210444
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: PLoS ONE
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: e0210444
• End Page: e0210444
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported, in part, by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (JAG, award number 71061).; This article published with support from Emory Libraries' Open Access Publishing Fund.; PAF and CMK are supported by HealthMPowers which conducted the training where some of the data were collected, but HealthMPowers did not have any role in the study design, analysis, decision to publish, or finalization of the manuscript.; PCC received support from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health T32 Predoctoral Training Program in Reproductive, Perinatal, and Pediatric Epidemiology (award number T32HD052460).
• Keywords: Science & Technology; CARDIOVASCULAR RISK; WEIGHT STATUS; HEALTH; YOUTH; CHILDREN; UNITED-STATES; Multidisciplinary Sciences; EDUCATION; BODY-MASS INDEX; OBESITY; Science & Technology - Other Topics; AEROBIC FITNESS
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

Background Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed the relationship between the time schools provide for physical activity and the proportion of students achieving a healthy aerobic capacity or body mass index. Methods In 2013–2014, physical education and grade-level teachers from 905 of 1,244 Georgia elementary schools provided survey data about the frequency and duration of physical activity opportunities offered before, during, and after school. Log-binomial models related the weekly physical activity minutes provided by schools to the proportion of children in the FitnessGram healthy fitness zone for aerobic capacity or body mass index while adjusting for school characteristics and demographics. Results During-school physical activity time was not associated with student fitness, but schools with before-school physical activity programs had a moderately higher prevalence of healthy aerobic capacity (prevalence ratio among girls: 1.06; 99% confidence interval: 1.00–1.13; prevalence ratio among boys: 1.03; 99% confidence interval: 0.99–1.08). Each additional 30 minutes of recess per week was associated with no more than a 3%-higher proportion of students with healthy body mass indexes (prevalence ratio among girls: 1.01; 99% confidence interval: 1.00–1.03; prevalence ratio among boys: 1.01; 99% confidence interval: 0.99–1.03). Conclusions The amount of physical activity time provided by schools is not strongly associated with school-aggregated student fitness. Future studies should be designed to assess the importance of school-based physical activity time on student fitness, relative to physical activity type and quality.