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. 2015 Aug;12(8):1061-5.
doi: 10.1123/jpah.2014-0163. Epub 2014 Oct 1.

Wasting Our Time? Allocated Versus Accumulated Physical Activity in Afterschool Programs

Keith Brazendale  1 , Michael William Beets, Robert Glenn Weaver, Jennifer Huberty, Aaron E Beighle, Russell R Pate
Affiliations

Wasting Our Time? Allocated Versus Accumulated Physical Activity in Afterschool Programs

Keith Brazendale et al. J Phys Act Health. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Afterschool programs (ASPs) can provide opportunities for children to accumulate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The optimal amount of time ASPs should allocate for physical activity (PA) on a daily basis to ensure children achieve policy-stated PA recommendations remains unknown.

Methods: Children (n = 1248, 5 to 12 years) attending 20 ASPs wore accelerometers up to 4 nonconsecutive week days for the duration of the ASPs during spring 2013 (February-April). Daily schedules were obtained from each ASP.

Results: Across 20 ASPs, 3 programs allocated ≤ 30min, 5 approximately 45 min, 4 60 min, 4 75 min, and 4 ≥ 105 min for PA opportunities daily (min·d-1). Children accumulated the highest levels of MVPA in ASPs that allocated ≥ 60 min·d-1 for PA opportunities (24.8-25.1 min·d-1 for boys and 17.1-19.4 min·d-1 for girls) versus ASPs allocating ≤ 45 min·d-1 for PA opportunities (19.7 min·d-1 and 15.6 min·d-1 for boys and girls, respectively). There were no differences in the amount of MVPA accumulated by children among ASPs that allocated 60 min·d-1 (24.8 min·d-1 for boys and 17.1 min·d-1 for girls), 75 min·d-1 (25.1 min·d-1 for boys and 19.4 min·d-1 for girls) or ≥ 105 min·d-1 (23.8 min·d-1 for boys and 17.8 min·d-1 for girls). Across ASPs, 26% of children (31% for boys and 14% for girls) met the recommended 30 minutes of MVPA.

Conclusions: Allocating more than 1 hour of PA opportunities is not associated with an increase in MVPA during ASPs. Allocating 60 min·d-1, in conjunction with enhancing PA opportunities, can potentially serve to maximize children's accumulation of MVPA during ASPs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest: None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Distribution of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity minutes/day for boys and girls across 5 groupings of allocated time
a Statistical significance (p<0.05) in MVPA accumulated between allocating ≤30 min.d−1 PA
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. America After 3pm Report. 2009. Afterschool Alliance.
    1. The National Afterschool Association. NAA Standards for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Out-Of-School Time Programs. 2011.
    1. California Department of Education. California After School Physical Activity Guidelines. 2009.
    1. Beets MW, Rooney L, Tilley F, Beighle A, Webster C. Evaluation of policies to promote physical activity in afterschool programs: are we meeting current benchmarks? Preventive medicine. 2010;51(3):299–301. - PubMed
    1. Beets MW. Enhancing the translation of physical activity interventions in afterschool programs. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2012;6(4):328–341.

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