Sarahjane Belton

How many steps/day are enough? for children and adolescents

Worldwide, public health physical activity guidelines include special emphasis on populations of children (typically 6-11 years) and adolescents (typically 12-19 years). Existing guidelines are commonly expressed in terms of frequency, time, and intensity of behaviour. However, the simple step output from both accelerometers and pedometers is gaining increased credibility in research and practice as a reasonable approximation of daily ambulatory physical activity volume. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review existing child and adolescent objectively monitored step-defined physical activity literature to provide researchers, practitioners, and lay people who use accelerometers and pedometers with evidence-based translations of these public health guidelines in terms of steps/day. In terms of normative data (i.e., expected values), the updated international literature indicates that we can expect 1) among children, boys to average 12,000 to 16,000 steps/day and girls to average 10,000 to 13,000 steps/day; and, 2) adolescents to steadily decrease steps/day until approximately 8,000-9,000 steps/day are observed in 18-year olds. Controlled studies of cadence show that continuous MVPA walking produces 3,300-3,500 steps in 30 minutes or 6,600-7,000 steps in 60 minutes in 10-15 year olds. Limited evidence suggests that a total daily physical activity volume of 10,000-14,000 steps/day is associated with 60-100 minutes of MVPA in preschool children (approximately 4-6 years of age). Across studies, 60 minutes of MVPA in primary/elementary school children appears to be achieved, on average, within a total volume of 13,000 to 15,000 steps/day in boys and 11,000 to 12,000 steps/day in girls. For adolescents (both boys and girls), 10,000 to 11,700 may be associated with 60 minutes of MVPA. Translations of time- and intensity-based guidelines may be higher than existing normative data (e.g., in adolescents) and therefore will be more difficult to achieve (but not impossible nor contraindicated). Recommendations are preliminary and further research is needed to confirm and extend values for measured cadences, associated speeds, and MET values in young people; continue to accumulate normative data (expected values) for both steps/day and MVPA across ages and populations; and, conduct longitudinal and intervention studies in children and adolescents required to inform the shape of step-defined physical activity dose-response curves associated with various health parameters.

Pedometer step count and BMI of Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years

OBJECTIVE (1) To assess step count and Body Mass Index in Irish children, (2) to examine variation in (i) weekday and weekend activity, (ii) during-school and after-school activity, and (3) to evaluate the utility of pedometer based PA recommendations for health in predicting Body Mass Index. METHODS Three hundred and one Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years wore a sealed pedometer for seven consecutive days in 2008, had their height and weight measured, and completed a short Physical Activity questionnaire. RESULTS The majority of children were classed as of normal weight, and met the age and sex specific pedometer recommendations for health. Children took significantly more steps at weekends than on weekdays, and after school than during school. A child being classed as normal or overweight/obese based on Body Mass Index did not predict the likelihood of them meeting the pedometer recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The majority of children were achieving sufficient steps/day for health but interventions to target those falling short should be considered. Further research examining the relationship between steps per day and Body Mass Index is warranted.

The evaluation of a cooperating physical education teachers programme (COPET)

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of a cooperating physical education (PE) teachers programme from a cooperating teacher’s perspective. Teaching practice is acknowledged as one of the most important areas of undergraduate teacher preparation. As part of a new undergraduate PE teacher education (PETE) programme, a cooperating PE teachers programme (COPET) was designed in an effort to maximize the learning opportunities for student teachers when on placement. The programme was piloted with a cohort of 26 cooperating teachers supervising 28 student teachers. Following a two-week teaching practice placement, three focus group interviews were held with 11 cooperating teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of the COPET programme. Findings indicate the cooperating teachers found the COPET programme very useful in defining their role on teaching practice. This paper presents the findings of the evaluation, and addresses some of the issues and challenges surrounding sustainability of the programme.

Fundamental movement skill proficiency amongst adolescent youth

Background: Literature suggests that physical education programmes ought to provide intense instruction towards basic movement skills needed to enjoy a variety of physical activities. Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are basic observable patterns of behaviour present from childhood to adulthood (e.g. run, skip and kick). Recent evidence indicates that children have the developmental potential to master most FMS by 6 years of age during physical education, physical activity (PA) and sport. Purpose: With a noticeable absence in the literature relating to adolescent movement patterns, the present study assessed the performance of 9 FMS during physical education class amongst 12- to 13-year olds. The study further assessed the range of FMS at the behavioural component level with a view to identifying weaknesses within performance across individual skills. Participants and setting: Baseline data were collected in 2010 as part of a larger longitudinal study evaluating the effectiveness of a prescribed adolescent physical education intervention. Participants included all (N = 242) first-year post-primary youth in a specific geographical area of Ireland. Data collection: The following 9 FMS were assessed during an 80-minute physical education lesson time period using a reliable instrument protocol; run, skip, horizontal jump, vertical jump, kick, catch, overhand throw, strike and stationary dribble. Each of the nine FMS was assessed in conjunction with the behavioural components from three established instruments, namely the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD), TGMD-2 and the Victorian Fundamental Motor Skills manual. To ensure participant consistency, no feedback from any of the trained field staff was given during skill performance. Data analysis: Prior to data analysis, the trained field staff were required to reach a minimum of 95% inter-observer agreement for all nine skills on a pre-coded data set to ensure that all testers were competent. The FMS data set was analysed using SPSS version 17.0 for Windows using appropriate statistical analysis. Findings: Overall, 11% was scored as either mastery or near mastery for all nine FMS. There was a significant difference in the overall mean composite FMS score (object control and locomotor) between genders, with adolescent males scoring higher (p = .015). There were marked differences in the number of participants who failed to obtain mastery level across the range of the nine FMS (e.g. vertical jump 87% and run 13%) and their associated behavioural components. Conclusions: It is alarming that adolescents aged between 12 and 13 years entering their first year of post-primary physical education do not display proficiency across nine basic movement patterns. This finding indicates that adolescents may have a difficult time in making the successful transition towards more advanced skills within the sport-specific stage. Implications from this study potentially indicate that targeting the weakest skill components during physical education and outside of school hours may prove a valuable strategy in increasing the current FMS levels and the subsequent PA levels amongst adolescent youth.

The relationship between adolescents’ physical activity, fundamental movement skills and weight status

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine if a potential relationship among physical activity (PA), fundamental movement skills and weight status exists amongst early adolescent youth. Participants were a sample of 85 students; 54 boys (mean age = 12.94 ± 0.33 years) and 31 girls (mean age = 12.75 ± 0.43 years). Data gathered during physical education class included PA (accelerometry), fundamental movement skills and anthropometric measurements. Standard multiple regression revealed that PA and total fundamental movement skill proficiency scores explained 16.5% (P < 0.001) of the variance in the prediction of body mass index. Chi-square tests for independence further indicated that compared with overweight or obese adolescents, a significantly higher proportion of adolescents classified as normal weight achieved mastery/near-mastery in fundamental movement skills. Results from the current investigation indicate that weight status is an important correlate of fundamental movement skill proficiency during adolescence. Aligned with most recent research, school- and community-based programmes that include developmentally structured learning experiences delivered by specialists can significantly improve fundamental movement skill proficiency in youth.

Results From Ireland's 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth

BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) levels are a key performance indicator for policy documents in Ireland. The first Ireland Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth aims to set a robust baseline for future surveillance of indicators related to PA in children and youth. METHODS Data collected between 2003-2010 on more than 35,000 7- to 18-year-old children and youth were used and graded using a standardized grading system for 10 indicators. RESULTS Grades assigned for the indicators were as follows: overall physical activity levels, D-; sedentary behavior (TV viewing), C-; organized sport participation, C-: physical education, D-; active play, inconclusive (INC); active transportation, D; school, C-, community and the built environment, B; family, INC; and government, INC. CONCLUSIONS PA recommendations exist in Ireland but this Report Card has shown that participation is still low. A number of promising policies, programs and services are in place but these require thorough evaluation and adequate resourcing. Agreement and implementation of a common framework for the systematic surveillance of indictors related to PA of children and youth is necessary to monitor change over time and ensure the impact of promising work is captured.

Teaching Practice: University Supervisors' Experiences and Perceptions of a Cooperating Physical Education Teacher Education Programme.

The purpose of this research was to examine university supervisors’ experiences and perceptions of a cooperating physical education teacher education (COPET) programme while on teaching practice. Teaching practice is a central tenet of physical education teacher education (PETE) preparation. The COPET programme was designed to support the triad members of student teachers, cooperating teachers and university supervisors during teaching practice. The programme was piloted with 30 student teachers, 26 cooperating teachers and 10 university supervisors during a two-week teaching practice placement. A total of six university supervisors participated in a focus group to determine their experiences and perceptions of the programme. Findings indicated that the COPET programme provided a helpful and structured framework for the role of university supervisor. Future directions for the programme revolve around universities’ need to consider ways of encouraging supervisors to work collaboratively with student teachers, cooperating teachers and other university supervisors to improve the teaching practice process.

Physical self-confidence levels of adolescents: Scale reliability and validity.

OBJECTIVES To establish reliability, content validity and concurrent validity of the physical self-confidence scale among adolescents. Demonstrate the use of this scale to assess the physical self-confidence of adolescents across genders at performing specific fundamental movement skills (FMS). DESIGN Three hundred and seventy six adolescents were involved in this study. A 15 item scale was developed to assess physical self-confidence. METHODS The scale was developed based on 15 specific FMS. Experts in the field reviewed the scale to ensure content validity. The reliability of the scale was assessed on a sub-sample of 67 participants who answered the scale 7-days apart. Concurrent validity was assessed on the sub-sample using the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) as a comparative tool. 376 adolescents completed the physical self-confidence scale (mean age=13.78, SD=±1.21, males n=193) to assess gender differences, and also their levels of physical self-confidence across all skills. RESULTS An Intra Class Correlation indicated excellent test retest reliability for the scale with an overall r=0.92. Content validity and concurrent validity were also good, with the scale achieving a correlation coefficient of 0.72 with the PSPP. Males possess significantly higher physical self-confidence than females across all items. CONCLUSIONS This scale is the first reliable and valid tool which specifically measures physical self-confidence in performing FMS among adolescents. The results highlight gender differences in physical self-confidence and emphasise the importance of measuring this at skill level as differences were task specific. This scale will facilitate future research examining the relationship between self-confidence, FMS proficiency and physical activity participation.

School's out … now what? Objective estimates of afterschool sedentary time and physical activity from childhood to adolescence.

OBJECTIVES To describe the change in afterschool levels of sedentary time and physical activity from childhood to adolescence. DESIGN Longitudinal. METHODS 375 youth (50% boys) from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (United States) provided accelerometer data at 9 (2000/01) and 15 yrs (2006/07). Average time spent in sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; minh(-1)) was reported across the afterschool period (15:00-22:00) and separately across whole days. Mean comparisons were conducted to report between- and within-group differences in afterschool data. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the effect of sex, ethnicity, and baseline body mass index (BMI) on the 6-yr change in afterschool sedentary time and MVPA before and after adjusting for covariates (baseline afterschool sedentary/MVPA time, change in non-afterschool sedentary/MVPA time, difference in afterschool wear time, and socioeconomic status). RESULTS From 9 to 15 yrs, sedentary time increased and activity decreased during the afterschool period. After covariate adjustment, the decline in afterschool MVPA was significantly greater among girls, compared to boys (B coefficient (95%CI)=-0.94 (-1.47, -0.40)), and among overweight/obese youth, compared to youth with normal BMI values (B coefficient (95%CI)=-0.65 (-1.22, -0.08)). CONCLUSIONS During the transition from childhood to adolescence, afterschool activity (minh(-1)) decreases while sedentary time increases. Programs are needed throughout this period that promote the maintenance of activity or encourage additional activity with age.

Reliability and Validity of a New Physical Activity Self-Report Measure for Younger Children

The purpose of this study was to assess the test–retest reliability and validity of a new Youth Physical Activity Self-Report measure. Heart rate and direct observation were employed as criterion measures with a sample of 79 children (aged 7–9 years). Spearmans rho (ρ) correlation between self reported activity intensity and heart rate was .87 for weekday and .795 for weekend; the correlation between self-reported activity duration and duration as measured by heart rate were .837 and .684 for weekday and weekend, respectively. These correlations fell when recalled inactivity was excluded from analysis. A correlation of ρ = .557 was found between self-reported activity intensity and direct observation. Results establish support for the self-report measure as an effective tool for measuring the previous day physical activity of younger children.