Physical Activity Infrastructure In Schools SEPTEMBER 2021 Burnie Local Government Area
Australia is currently facing numerous public health challenges, including increased prevalence of overweight and obesity. Many Tasmanian communities are particularly affected due to remoteness/rurality, limited health service capacity/accessibility, and limited communitybased prevention services. The main aim of the CAPITOL (Critical Age Periods Impacting the Trajectory of Obesogenic Lifestyles) project is to contribute to the prevention of overweight and obesity through community capacity building in NorthWest Tasmania. The successful implementation of the CAPITOL project will assist in the promotion of healthy lifestyles and reduce avoidable presentations to hospitals. Professor Andrew Hills (Project Lead) & team
Physical activity in infants, children and youth Regular physical activity supports brain development, bone strength, muscle control, balance, and coordination, and helps to achieve and maintain a healthy body composition. Being active and reducing sedentary behaviours can positively affect sleep patterns, mental health, concentration, self-esteem, and confidence. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of school-aged children in Australia does not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Since children and youth spend a significant proportion of their time - roughly 6 hours per day for approximately 40 weeks per year - at school, the school setting provides an invaluable opportunity for the promotion of participation in physical activity and increased health and fitness in young people.
Challenges Poor access to high quality physical activity infrastructure, along with lack of time allocated for physical activity in the school curriculum, are negatively affecting physical activity participation rates in developed economies such as Australia. There is also evidence that lack of adequate access to physical activity resources is linked to the socio-economic status of the community in which a school is located. Schools in lower socio-economic areas may also face additional challenges incorporating physical activity into the school day and consequently, children from these schools may be disproportionately inactive compared to children in more affluent neighbourhoods.
Potential solutions Better utilization of existing physical activity infrastructure in schools may increase participation rates, and provide a cost-effective opportunity for more children to be physically active before, during and after school. As such, a better understanding of the physical activity environment in schools could be very important in efforts to improve the health and well being of school-age children. This report summarizes the type, quantity, features, amenities, and quality of physical activity resources within schools in the Burnie Local Government Area.
What we did We generated a comprehensive list of schools within the Burnie area using online searches of the Tasmanian State Government and the Independent Schools Tasmania web pages. Subsequently, these lists were cross referenced and verified via Google maps, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) website, and in person communication with Business Managers and Principals of each of the schools. The quality of the PA infrastructure in schools was assessed using the validated – Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) Instrument. Each infrastructure item (within the school premises) was coded for quality using a three-category quantitative system as 3 "good," 2 "mediocre," or 1 "poor," in accordance with objective standards of quality prescribed in the PARA instrument. Additionally, each piece was rated on overall incivilities (i.e., elements that would decrease the satisfaction associated with usage of the infrastructure). Incivilities were rated as 3 "high," 2 "medium," or 1 "low,"
Facts and figures
INFRASTRUCTURE AVAILABILITY
QUALITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE
What does this all mean? Regardless of the type of school, there is ample high quality physical activity infrastructure in Burnie schools. Furthermore, all schools have one or more pieces of infrastructure that accommodates football/soccer, recreational dancing, gymnastics, and AFL – the most popular (top 4) physical activity pursuits amongst Australian children. Better promotion and utilization of existing facilities will help increase physical activity levels in children and act as a great antidote for sedentary behaviours such as excess screen time. Given the centrality of school locations within each community and the variety of facilities they contain, they may also provide important opportunities for adult residents to be more physically and socially active. This is particularly important in communities that lack additional public or private recreation or community facilities.