Children living in neighborhoods where parents believe that there are good parks and sidewalks spend less time engaged in screen-based behaviors, are more physically active, and are more likely to walk or bike to and from school Parents play a large role in determining what children can and cannot do. In this study, Carson and colleagues investigated whether parents’ perceptions of their neighborhood environments are associated with children’s screen time, physical activity, and active transport to and from school. Researchers gathered data from over 3,000 fifth grade students from 148 schools in Alberta, Canada. Children and parents completed several surveys on physical activity, screen time, active transport, and neighborhood perceptions. Carson and colleagues found that 59% of fifth grade students in Alberta engaged in less than 2 hours of screen time a day, 27% of students were physically active, and 39% walked or biked to and from school. In examining associations between parents’ perceptions and children’s screen time, physical activity, and active transport, researchers grouped parental perceptions into three areas: 1) satisfaction/services (satisfaction with where you live and access to sports, recreation, and stores); 2) safety (traffic and crime); and 3) sidewalks/parks (access to good sidewalks and parks). In analyzing the data, Carson and colleagues found that good satisfaction/services and sidewalks/parks were associated with less screen time and more physical activity in children and neighborhoods with good sidewalks/parks were also associated with more children using active transport to and from school. Researchers found no significant associations between neighborhood safety and children’s physical activity, screen time, or active transport. This study may be limited due to its reliance on child and parental reports and is correlational (not causational) in nature, however, it suggests that interventions that increase access to parks, sidewalks, and sports and recreation programs could help increase children’s physical activity and active transport, while reducing their sedentary behaviors. Author Affiliation: Valerie Carson is with the University of Alberta in Canada. Carson, V., Kuhle, S., Spence, J. C., & Veugelers, P. J. (2010). Parents‟ perception of neighbourhood environment as a determinant of screen time, physical activity and active transport. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 101(2), 124-127. This study may be available in a library near you or can be purchased online through the publisher at: http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/ (Volume 5)
Children living closer to parks and greenspace participate in more active sports and have higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity Outdoor spaces may be important places for children to be active, however, little is known about how specific outdoor spaces, such as parks and greenspaces, might be linked to children’s physical activity. In this study, Boone-Heinonen and colleagues investigated the influence of different outdoor spaces on children’s leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activities. Researchers examined outdoor space and physical activity data for over 10,000 7 th through 12th grade children from across the U.S. Researchers used a geographic information system (GIS) to examine outdoor spaces around each child’s home, including greenspace coverage within 3km of each child’s home and distance to the nearest neighborhood park and major park. Researchers also questioned each child regarding their physical activities, including how frequently they participated in specific activities (e.g., baseball, roller-skating, and jogging) during the past week. In analyzing the data, Boone-Heinonen and colleagues found that boys reported more moderate to vigorous physical activity than girls for all activities except exercise. In examining linkages between specific outdoor spaces and children’s physical activity, researchers found that children who lived closer to © 2012 Children & Nature Network
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