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- Title
Teacher-Level Factors, Classroom Physical Activity Opportunities, and Children’s Physical Activity Levels.
- Authors
Abi Nader, Patrick; Hilberg, Evan; Schuna, John M.; John, Deborah H.; Gunter, Katherine B.
- Abstract
Background: Classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) breaks are a cost-effective strategy to promote physical activity (PA) at school. Despite teachers’ critical roles in sustained implementation of CBPA breaks, few studies examined the association of teacher-level factors with student PA levels, and none focused on rural schools. Methods: We monitored children’s PA levels over 4 consecutive school days at 6 rural Oregon elementary schools with Walk4Life pedometers. During the same week, teachers recorded all student PA opportunities (recess, PE, and CBPA breaks) and answered a 26-item questionnaire about factors influencing their use of CBPA breaks. Mixed-effects models were used to associate teacher-level factors and PA opportunities with children’s moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA; in minutes per day), controlling for child-level covariates. Results: When teachers valued PA, students accumulated more MVPA (1.07 min/d; P <.01) than students of teachers reporting low PA value. Students did more MVPA (1 min/d; P <.001) when teachers agreed the school operating conditions posed barriers to providing PA than when teachers disagreed that barriers existed. PE classes contributed significantly to student’s PA levels. Conclusion: Provision of PE, increasing teacher value for PA, and further investigation of how teacher-level factors relate to students’ MVPA levels during CBPA breaks at rural elementary schools are warranted.
- Subjects
PHYSICAL activity; YOUTH health; PHYSICAL education for youth; TEACHERS; PEDOMETERS
- Publication
Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 2018, Vol 15, Issue 9, p637
- ISSN
1543-3080
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1123/jpah.2017-0218