Habitual physical activity patterns of inner-city children

Apply

Habitual physical activity patterns of inner-city children

Journal Title: Human Movement - Year 2013, Vol 14, Issue 4

Abstract

Purpose. Understanding the physical activity patterns of youth is an essential step in addressing the obesity epidemic and, ultimately, developing programs that reverse this trend. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the habitual physical activity patterns of Hispanic and African-American children living in a northeastern USA urban environment. Methods. Participants included 39 inner-city children (10.5 ± 0.61 years old; 78% African American, 14% Hispanic; 85% free/reduced lunch; 20.3 ± 4.3 BMI with 45% overweight/obese). Children wore a pedometer for seven consecutive days. Means and standard deviations were calculated and Student’s t test was utilized to examine difference across gender and day of the week. Results. Children averaged 9535 ± 2594 steps/day. The weekday step count mean was 10090 ± 2939 and the weekend step count was 7557 ± 4337, = 2533. Students were significantly more active during the week; t(16) = 2.38, p = 0.03. Children averaged 10610 ± 2842 steps on physical education weekdays and 8338 ± 2802 steps on non-physical education weekdays. Children were significantly more active on days with physical education classes; t(30) = 4.7, p = 0.00, = 2272. Conclusions. Very few children in the current sample met daily step recommendations. Our results support previous research that suggests that the ‘suburban built’ environment is more conducive to promoting physical activity than the inner city. Our sample was less active than those in the majority of other studies exploring physical activity in primary school-aged children. Our findings (compared with previous research) found reduced physical activity among African-American children, especially girls.

Authors and Affiliations

Jennifer Harmon, Timothy A. Brusseau, Douglas Collier, Elizabeth Lenz

Keywords

Habitual physical activity patterns of inner-city children

Styles of coping with stress and locus of control in sporting situations in a group of young female football players

Purpose. The objective of the present study to analyse the styles of coping with stress and the locus of control (LOC) in specific sporting situations of female football players and seeking relationships between the anal...

THE REPORT AND ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST U21 EUROPEAN DEAF FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MEN, WROCLAW, POLAND 2016

Purpose. The First U21 European Deaf Football Championship Men was played in August 2016 in Wroclaw, Poland. No studies have documented or analysed sporting events for deaf players at the elite level. The aim of the stud...

Effect of cadence on respiratory responses during unloaded cycling in healthy subjects

Purpose. The aim of the study was to establish the respiratory response to unloaded cycling at different cadences. Methods. Eleven healthy participants performed a maximal graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to ass...

Effects of an eleven-week Pilates exercise program on progressive-speeed walking capacity in sedentary young women: a pilot study

Purpose. To assess the effects of an 11-week Pilates exercise program on the functional capacity of young sedentary women. Methods. Ten subjects underwent the shuttle walking test. A portable metabolic system was used du...

EP ID EP162336
DOI 10.2478/humo-2013-0036
Views 85
Downloads 0