Birgitta L. Baker

Screen time, physical activity, and overweight in U.S. youth: national survey of children's health 2003.

The purpose was to examine screen-based leisure time sedentary behavior and physical activity and overweight in a national sample of children. Boys and girls who engage in low physical activity and high leisure time sedentary behavior are two times more likely to be overweight than more active, less sedentary children.

TVs in the bedrooms of children: does it impact health and behavior?

OBJECTIVES To (1) determine socio-demographic characteristics associated with a TV in the bedroom (BTV) and (2) examine relationship of BTV, independent of total viewing time, with social and behavioral characteristics. METHODS Children 6-17 years from the 2007 US National Survey of Childrens Health were included (n=48,687). BTV, daily TV viewing time, demographic, behavioral and social outcomes (community involvement, social skills, health habits and status, and family) were examined using logistic regression, and adjusted for total viewing time. RESULTS Overall prevalence of BTV was 49.3% in American children. Older age, non-Hispanic Black (71.3%), Hispanics (56.3%), higher level of poverty (>56.2%), non two-parent biological family structure (>62.6%), Midwest (47.1%), Northeast (46.7%), South Atlantic (56.4%) and South Central (59.8%) region of the country were associated with higher odds of BTV. Female gender (52.7%) and residence in Alaska (33.0%) were associated with lower prevalence of BTV. BTV was associated with higher prevalence of exhibiting problematic social behaviors (29%) and overweight status (44%). BTV was significantly associated with lower prevalence of regular family meals (13%), engagement in school (16%), participation in extracurricular activities (31%), regularly sleeping enough (20%), and participation in community service (25%) after adjustment for total viewing time. CONCLUSIONS BTV appears associated with more social and behavioral indices than previously reported, in addition to total viewing time.

Television, Reading, and Computer Time: Correlates of School-Day Leisure-Time Sedentary Behavior and Relationship With Overweight in Children in the U.S.

BACKGROUND The purposes were 1) to determine if different leisure-time sedentary behaviors (LTSB), such as TV/video/video game viewing/playing (TV), reading for pleasure (reading), and nonschool computer usage, were associated with childhood overweight status, and 2) to assess the social-ecological correlates of LTSB. METHODS The analytic sample was 33,117 (16,952 boys and 16,165 girls) participants from the 2003 National Survey of Childrens Health. The cut-point for excessive TV and nonschool computer usage was ≥ 2 hr/day. High quantities of daily reading for pleasure were classified as ≥ 31 min/day. Weighted descriptive characteristics were calculated on the sample (means ± SE or frequency). Logistic regression models were used to determine if the LTSB were associated with overweight status and to examine social-ecological correlates. RESULTS Over 35% of the sample was overweight. Odds of being overweight were higher in the 2 to 3 hr/day (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.76) and ≥ 4 hr/day (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.91) daily TV groups compared with none. Reading and nonschool computer usage was not associated with being overweight. CONCLUSIONS TV was associated with overweight classification; however, nonschool computer usage and reading were not. Several individual, family, and community correlates were associated with high volumes of daily TV viewing.

Environmental Justice, Gentrification, and Leisure: A Systematic Review and Opportunities for the Future

ABSTRACT The concept of gentrification, which has recently been expanded beyond residential displacement to address issues of equitable access to public spaces, is deemed an environmental justice issue. Environmental gentrification presents a new threat to economically vulnerable areas looking to add parks, recreation, or green space to their neighborhoods because gentrification may attract newcomers who displace existing residents from public spaces as well as from housing. Consequently, park, recreation, and leisure scholars should study this phenomenon. A systematic review was conducted to assess current knowledge regarding relationships among gentrification and park, recreation, and leisure spaces. A search of three databases uncovered 27 articles. Little leisure scholarship was found, representing an opportunity for leisure scholars to promote environmental justice. Six themes derived from the articles described how policy can negatively impact residents, how strategies can prevent gentrification, and how research methods to study gentrification can impact how results are interpreted.

Implementing Service-Learning Through a Community-Based Fitness Program

Louisiana State University’s School of Kinesiology has partnered with the Dr. Leo S. Butler Community Fitness Center in Baton Rouge, LA since 2003 offering our fitness studies concentration majors a unique service-learning experience. The center is located in a community with citizens battling many health issues, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, with limited access and resources that promote a heathy lifestyle. Students enrolled in a senior capstone course work with the community members in the Sensational Seniors fitness program. This fitness program addresses some of those needs by providing a variety of group exercise sessions promoting overall health and longevity for the participants. Our students are able to apply theoretical concepts learned in lectures and laboratories to address public health concerns in a real-life setting. The students lead group fitness activities, monitor blood pressures, and disseminate appropriate and updated health and exercise information for the seniors.