Abstract
Objective
In 2005, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced a policy requiring that all elementary students be provided with opportunities to participate in a minimum of 20 minutes of sustained moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each school day during instructional time. To the authors’ knowledge, this policy has never been formally evaluated. In a form of natural experiment with Project BEAT, we explored within 16 Toronto District School Board schools the proportion of children who participate in DPA, and the proportion who achieve sustained MVPA within these sessions; these are the objectives of this article.
Methods
Consent was given by 1,027 parents/guardians for their children to participate (boys, n=478; girls, n=549). Physical activity (PA) was measured using accelerometry and classroom schedules collected to identify sessions of DPA. The frequency of DPA and number and duration of sustained bouts of MVPA (>-5 min) were computed and explored relative to PA levels and health outcomes.
Results
Fewer than half of the participating children were provided with DPA every day and not a single child engaged in sustained MVPA for >-20 minutes. On the more positive side, children who engaged in DPA every day were significantly more active than their peers. Those accumulating at least 1 bout of MVPA were more active and likely to meet PA guidelines, and fewer of these children were overweight.
Conclusion
The majority of schools are not meeting the DPA policy. However, as the frequency and intensity of DPA increases, so do positive health outcomes. This paper provides supporting evidence that when this policy is implemented, the intended health benefits are achievable.
Key words: Accelerometer, children, health, policy, school
Résumé
Objectif
En 2005, le ministère de l’Éducation de l’Ontario annonçait une politique exigeant que tous les élèves du primaire aient l’occasion de participer à au moins 20 minutes d’activité physique modérée à vigoureuse (APMV) soutenue chaque jour d’école pendant les heures de classe. À la connaissance des auteurs, cette politique n’a jamais été officiellement évaluée. Dans le cadre d’une expérience dans les conditions naturelles menée avec le projet BEAT, nous avons analysé dans 16 écoles du Conseil scolaire du district de Toronto la proportion d’enfants pratiquant une activité physique quotidienne (APQ) et la proportion d’enfants atteignant un niveau soutenu d’APMV durant ces séances; ce sont là les objectifs de notre article.
Méthode
Mille vingt-sept parents et tuteurs ont consenti à ce que leurs enfants participent à l’étude (garçons, n=478; filles, n=549). Nous avons mesuré l’activité physique (AP) par accélérométrie et obtenu les horaires des classes pour identifier les séances d’APQ. La fréquence de l’APQ et le nombre et la durée des épisodes soutenus d’APMV (>-5 min) ont été calculés et analysés par rapport aux niveaux d’AP et aux résultats de santé.
Résultats
Moins de la moitié des élèves participants avaient droit à une séance d’APQ tous les jours, et absolument aucun ne pratiquait une APMV soutenue pendant >-20 minutes. En revanche, les élèves qui pratiquaient une activité physique quotidienne étaient sensiblement plus actifs que leurs pairs. Ceux qui accumulaient au moins un épisode d’APMV étaient plus actifs et plus susceptibles de respecter les critères d’AP, et ces enfants étaient moins nombreux à être en surpoids.
Conclusion
La majorité des écoles ne respectent pas la politique d’APQ. Or, les résultats de santé positifs augmentent avec la fréquence et l’intensité de l’APQ. Les résultats de notre étude montrent que lorsque la politique est appliquée, les avantages escomptés pour la santé sont réalisables.
Mots clés: accéléromètre, enfant, santé, politique, école
Footnotes
Acknowledgements: This research was funded by the Built Environment, Obesity and Health Strategic Initiative of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
References
- 1.Ontario Ministry of Education. Daily physical activity in schools: Guide for school boards. 2011. [Google Scholar]
- 2.Janssen I, LeBlanc AG. Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010;7:40. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-7-40. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Patton IT, McDougall J. Canada’s Active Schools: A review of school-based physical activity interventions in Canada. Phys Health Educ J. 2009;75:16–22. [Google Scholar]
- 4.Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: International survey. BMJ. 2000;320:1240. doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7244.1240. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.ActiGraph GT1M. ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL, United States. Available at: https://doi.org/www.theactigraph.com (Accessed November 2, 2011).
- 6.Stone MR, Rowlands AV, Eston RG. Characteristics of the activity pattern in normal weight and overweight boys. Prev Med. 2009;49:205–8. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2009.06.012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Stone MR, Rowlands AV, Eston RG. Relationships between accelerometerassessed physical activity and health in children: Impact of the activityintensity classification method. J Sports Sci Med. 2009;8:136–43. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 8.Ontario Ministry of Education. Daily physical activity in schools: Guide for principals. 2011. [Google Scholar]
- 9.Bailey RC, Olson J, Pepper SL, Porszasz J, Barstow TJ, Cooper DM. The level and tempo of children’s physical activities: An observational study. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;27:1033–41. doi: 10.1249/00005768-199507000-00012. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.Stone MR, Rowlands AV, Middlebrooke AR, Jawis MN, Eston RG. The pattern of physical activity in relation to health outcomes in boys. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2009;4:306–15. doi: 10.3109/17477160902846179. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 11.Stone MR, Rowlands AV, Eston RG. The use of high-frequency accelerometry monitoring to assess and interpret children’s activity patterns. In: Jürimaë T, Armstrong N J J, editors. Children and Exercise. London, UK: Routledge; 2008. pp. 150–53. [Google Scholar]
- 12.Chorney D. Daily physical activity initiatives across Canada: A progress report. Phys Health Educ J. 2009;75:12–13. [Google Scholar]
- 13.Robertson-Wilson JE, Lévesque L. Ontario’s daily physical activity policy for elementary schools: Is everything in place for success? Can J Public Health. 2009;100:125–59. doi: 10.1007/BF03405521. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]