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(A) Drawing from a boy (ID9) illustrating the football pitch as where he is most likely to engage in physical activity. (B) Drawing from a girl (ID34) illustrating what she dislikes about physical activity. (C) Drawing from a boy (ID2) illustrating the places where he habitually engages in physical activity. (D) Drawing from a girl (ID17) illustrating a walk with her dog and friend.
Source publication
In Northern Ireland (NI), many children do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity (PA). To reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity and associated health conditions, it is important to understand the influences on children's PA, which in turn has the potential to inform future intervention design. The purpose of this formative stu...
Citations
... Previous studies that have assessed the acceptability of healthy eating and physical activity programs highlighted similar factors that contributed to acceptability [41]. Studies indicate that interventions that incorporate fun components are effective in encouraging children's participation and engagement in health-promoting activities [42,43]. The benefits of incorporating fun, enjoyable EL for promoting healthy eating and physical activity in children are also highlighted in the only published feasibility study at a children's museum [44]. ...
Background
Encouraging healthy eating and physical activity in children has long-term benefits for their health and development, however many do not meet the requirements for fruit and vegetable consumption, or physical activity. Experiential learning (EL) has been shown to improve children’s healthy eating and physical activity-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. Children’s museums provide opportunities for hands-on EL activities that can engage families. This study examined stakeholder perspectives on the perceived feasibility, acceptability, fidelity and impact of an EL health-promoting program in a children’s museum.
Methods
A qualitative case study was conducted at the Early Start Discovery Space, a university-based children’s museum, in Australia. The study involved implementing a 4-week Healthy Living program comprising EL activities related to food and movement for children aged 0–10 years. Perceived feasibility, acceptability, fidelity and impact were assessed through focus groups and observations. Focus groups (23 participants, 17 caregivers and 6 museum staff) were conducted post-implementation. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. 15 HL sessions were observed throughout implementation.
Results
Stakeholders perceived that the HL program was feasible and acceptable. As a result of consultation between researchers and museum staff, the HL program was easily implemented in the museum. Stakeholders suggested that children and their carers enjoyed the HL activities and were engaged in the HL activities. Aspects of fidelity were explored and showed that most sessions were delivered as intended, however, the delivery of the key messages was suboptimal. Perceived changes in children’s knowledge, attitudes behaviour relating to healthy eating and physical activity were minimal.
Conclusions
Key stakeholders (museum staff and caregivers) provided insights regarding perceived feasibility and acceptability of the HL program delivered in the children’s museum. Preliminary findings highlight the potential of children’s museums as a setting for EL health eating and physical activity programs. Further, this study highlights the significance of stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and incorporation of hands-on and enjoyable activities to promote healthy habits in children. Future studies, with larger sample sizes, should be conducted to extend the results from this study.
... To date, considerable work has been conducted to describe PA's barriers and facilitators in numerous populations with physiological conditions, such as individuals with cancer [37][38][39], diabetics [40,41], and adults with disabilities [42]. Extensive studies have also been conducted to describe PA's barriers and facilitators using age as the primary descriptive variable, including children [43,44], young adults [45,46], and older adults [47][48][49]. However, race or ethnicity is seldom reported in large, longitudinal, population-based adult studies in this body of literature [50]. ...
Physical activity (PA)’s benefits are well established, yet many U.S. adults fail to meet PA guidelines. This is especially true for minorities facing social inequities. This study explored PA’s barriers and facilitators among urban Midwestern minorities using a mixed-methods approach framed on the socio-ecological model. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and June 2024 among community-dwelling minorities. Participants were grouped as completing low (LLPA) or high (HLPA) weekly leisure-time PA for comparison. Quantitative analysis included MANOVA, follow-up ANOVAs, and calculation of effect sizes. Qualitative data were assessed using inductive thematic analysis. Twenty-nine adults (44.83% Black, 41.37% Latino) participated in the study. The HLPA group (n = 18) reported higher leisure-time PA (p = 0.001, d = 2.21) and total PA (p = 0.02, d = 1.00) compared to the LLPA group (n = 11). LLPA participants faced more personal barriers to PA (p = 0.02, d = −0.92). Common barriers identified in the interviews included a lack of time and financial costs. Facilitators included social support and available PA facilities. Both groups achieved the USPA guidelines through different PA domains. Increasing social support and lowering PA-related costs could enhance participation. Addressing barriers and leveraging existing facilitators are crucial to increasing PA among minorities.
... Additionally, all scheduled after-school programs were canceled, and as a result, the children and adolescents had to abide by rules regarding behavioral restrictions, PA limitations, and physical distancing. [4,25] Other factors influencing PA participation can include insufficient energy, extrinsic illness, and poor social support. [26] ...
A BSTRACT
Physical activity (PA) is associated with numerous mental and physical health benefits. But it has been observed that young people and children frequently participate in low levels of PA, which is especially noticeable when they progress from primary to secondary school. Thus, in order to improve physical health among school-going children, different schools should put in place school-based PA intervention programs. The researchers designing PA intervention protocols for school children encounter various challenges during implementation; hence, this narrative review determines the challenges and barriers faced by the researchers during data collection on PA of school-going adolescent children. The review highlighted the challenges encountered during implementation of school-based PA and fitness among school children. The key issues mentioned in the review involved problems related to communication with schools, recruitment of participants along with the informed consent, implementation and data collection, environment of school, and barriers to PA in school. The documentation of these difficulties can help advance knowledge of the researchers and their efficacy, which will finally result in the development of strengthened and close relationships with school-based educational institutions, leading to implementation of intervention protocols and enhancing physical fitness in school children.
... 103 With difficulties in social competence leading to social withdrawal in some cases, it is interesting how developing social skills and participating with friends were important facilitators also for this population, in line with findings from TD children and youth. [100][101][102]106 This contributes to the knowledge about the importance of belongingness, and how this is important for the drive to participate in PA in this population as well. The additional risk of bullying highlighted in the included studies points to this potentially being a strong barrier to participation in organized forms of PA for this population, which further indicates the importance of working actively with inclusion and anti-bullying in PA arenas. ...
Background : The purpose of this scoping review was to systematically synthesize barriers and facilitators for physical activity (PA) among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the socioecological model. Methods : Five electronic databases were searched in March 2022 for studies examining barriers and facilitators for PA among children and youth with ASD. An updated search was performed in April 2024. The framework synthesis method was utilized, and the socioecological model was the chosen framework. Results : Fifty-four studies published from 2008 to 2024 were included. Among the included studies, 57% included the perspectives of children and youth with ASD alone or together with proxies (eg, parents, teachers, and coaches), while 43% included only the perspectives of proxies. Barriers and facilitators on the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels were most substantial. The analysis led to 2 main categories of barriers and facilitators, those unique to children and youth with ASD, and those similar to what had been identified through research on children and youth, both typically developing and with other disabilities. Conclusions : This comprehensive scoping review shows the complexity of factors contributing to barriers and facilitators for PA among children and youth with ASD, and highlights both the factors unique to this population and more general factors affecting PA participation. The findings from this synthesis might be used to guide the development of inclusive PA in physical education, organized sports, and other community PA arenas.
... For example, the ice breaker question which asked the girls to write down three words on post-it note© paper in response to the question "how would you best describe PA to someone?" was replaced with "what are three words to best describe what PA means to you?" A range of qualitative techniques were incorporated into the focus groups to put the girls at ease and facilitate discussion around PA (Nally et al., 2022;Noonan et al., 2016). For example, each session started with this icebreaker question to provide the girls with an experience of speaking aloud and to create an environment of sharing and listening. ...
Abstract
Background
Eighty one percent of adolescents do not meet the recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines with levels of physical activity declining steadily with age and more pronounced in girls of low socioeconomic position (SEP). Furthermore, early adolescence is a time when the rate of decline in PA is most severe amongst girls, placing them at an increased likelihood of developing negative health outcomes associated with physical inactivity. In response, the aim of this study was to explore low-SEP pre-teen girls’ experiences of being physically active and to understand their perceptions of the individual, social and environmental factors that influence these experiences.
Methods
Focus groups were conducted with 107 girls aged 10 - 12 years from four urban and three rural primary schools. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, with themes mapped to the relevant domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).
Results
Themes highlighted how skills and confidence underpin girls’ self-identity for PA. Girls described how their social network (i.e., peers, family, coaches and teachers) shaped their experiences of being active. Girls recognised how being active was impacted by the challenges and opportunities in their local community (e.g., lack of facilities and anti-social behaviour).
Conclusion
This study provides insight into low-SEP pre-teen girls’ experiences of being physically active in both rural and urban locations, while highlighting the complex interplay of individual, social and environmental factors. Additionally, the use of the TDF presents an in-depth behavioural diagnosis which can be used to inform future theory-based interventions to promote low-SEP pre-teen girls PA.
... Also, Matz et al. (2015) found that individuals living in rural areas spend most of their time in outdoor activities and inside vehicles, as they travel longer to well-paid jobs. Besides travelling, suburban individuals have an active lifestyle as they take part in diverse activities such as household maintenance, gardening and agriculture, neighbouring and social participation, volunteering activities (Jakubec et al., 2019), engaging children in outdoor activities such as library trips, sports and athletics (Nally et al., 2022). In this regard, we expect that individuals living in suburban regions have higher complexities than those living in urban areas (H3). ...
Individuals' participation in daily routine activities varies according to the situations they live in. Gender roles and marital status drive them to take part in various economic, leisure and travel activities. Married (or cohabiting) individuals, in comparison to singles, juggle activities interdependently with their partners' resources and work allocation, resulting in potentially complex intersecting schedules. The primary aim of this research is to explore the complexity (measured using Shannon's entropy) of individuals' activity patterns by considering diverse factors such as demographics, job/education, residential location, travel behaviour, gendered multitasking behaviour, time use preferences and partner interactions. To examine variations in complexity, we developed three separate models for single and partnered respondents, and all respondents, respectively. We used German Time Use Survey 2012/13 data and employed multilevel linear regression models. Gender interaction variables were additionally included in the analysis to examine the gender differences in coefficients. In general, our results suggest that activity pattern complexity is positively associated with de-mographics (being women, having young children), job/education (high levels of education, working in non-market sector), travel behaviour (number of trips, car, public transport and cycling), time spent on unpaid multitasking, preference for time use (leisure and unpaid work) and additional work hour preferences, whereas full-time/overtime working, paid multitasking negatively affects the complexity. For partnered respondents, factors such as increase in age, increase in income, working in shifts and time spent on paid multitasking have significant negative effects on the complexity of activity patterns, while partners' time spent on unpaid work and leisure activities positively affects respondents' complexity. The gender interaction with multitasking behaviour reveals that men's activity patterns are increasingly complex with more time spent on unpaid multitasking, while for women, the complexity of activity patterns is positively associated with more time spent on paid multitasking.
... Las intervenciones de los estudios analizados incluyeron programas de carreras (Marathon Kids) (Chalkley et al., 2020), programas de participación activa (Katewongsa et al., 2023), futbol en espacio reducido (11forHealth) (Li et al., 2023), intervenciones integrales en el aula, el recreo y el hogar (Nally et al., 2022) y un programa multicomponente recreativo no competitivo (Movi-Kids) (Sánchez-López et al., 2019). Los estudiantes que participaron en los programas de intervención reportaron un promedio de 19 y 25 minutos adicionales de AF, un mayor porcentaje (21% -31%) en el cumplimiento de las pautas AF con relación al grupo de control, y un tiempo total más bajo con relación a comportamientos sedentarios (Katewongsa et al., 2023), mejoras significativas en el rendimiento cognitivo (Sánchez-López et al., 2019) y cumplimiento de las recomendaciones de AF moderada y vigorosa por parte de un mayor número de estudiantes (42.7%), además, se demuestra que aquellos participantes de zonas rurales tienen mayores probabilidades de cumplir las recomendaciones de AF y, el invierno mostro ser la época en que menos probabilidades tenían los alumnos de alcanzar dichas recomendaciones (Wong et al., 2023). ...
... Sumado a ello, según Milton et al. (2021) el alumnado y la comunidad escolar en general deberían participar en el diseño y programación de la AF, garantizando de esta manera las mejores condiciones para que esta se pueda llevar a cabo (espacios, recursos, personal, etc.) y lograr mantener de forma prolongada los comportamientos de vida físicamente activos. La posibilidad de reajustar el programa y las actividades durante el programa permitirá al profesorado alcanzar mejores resultados con las intervenciones (Katewongsa et al., 2023) e incluso Nally et al. (2022) afirma, que contar con la coparticipación de los padres en las actividades puede mejorar la eficacia de los programas. El compromiso y apoyo del hogar, los padres y demás influencias externas frente a las iniciativas de AF es vital e impactara contundentemente en las posibilidades de participación de AF del alumnado en la escuela (Defever et al., 2023). ...
... En este sentido, para el desarrollo de las intervenciones de AF los principales facilitadores identificados son la diversión, el juego, el apoyo social, las pausas activas en el aula y la actividad al aire libre (Defever et al., 2023;Nally et al., 2022). Así mismo, las principales limitaciones y barreras percibidas por parte del alumnado frente a la AF son los recursos y espacios escolares altamente restringidos, las condiciones climáticas adversas, restricciones por inseguridad, costos y limitación de tiempo de los padres, falta de tiempo y cansancio por la elevada carga escolar, así como, los comportamientos sedentarios relacionados con el uso de dispositivos electrónicos (Chalkley et al., 2020;Defever et al., 2023;Galeano-Rojas et al. 2023;Nally et al., 2022). ...
Resumen: El propósito de este estudio fue realizar una revisión sistemática sobre la AF en Educación Primaria para conocer el impacto de la AF en el bienestar del alumnado y las principales aportaciones para mejorar la promoción y adherencia a la AF. El proceso se llevo a cabo en la base de datos de Web of Science siguiendo las recomendaciones de la declaración PRISMA. Se selecciono un total de 8 artículos científicos según los criterios de inclusión y exclusión establecidos. Los resultados fueron descritos en función del objetivo, variables e instrumentos y resultados. Los programas de intervención de los estudios seleccionados lograron mejorar y cumplir con los niveles y las recomendaciones de AF, así como disminuir los comportamientos sedentarios. Las influencias contextuales (intrapersonales, interpersonales, institucionales, comunitarias y políticas) permitieron reconocer las barreras y facilitadores para la práctica de AF desde la opinión y percepción del alumnado, destacando como facilitadores la diversión, el juego, el apoyo social, las pausas activas en el aula y las actividades al aire libre. Las barreras más comunes son los espacios restringidos, la falta de recursos materiales, el clima adverso, las limitaciones de tiempo y los comportamientos sedentarios. Por último, se sugiere que los programas de intervención diseñados para promover y mejorar la practica de AF prioricen la diversión y el disfrute, la autonomía, la motivación y los gustos e intereses del alumnado, y tengan en cuenta la coparticipación e influencia de los compañeros, padres y maestros, la ejecución adecuada del programa y la cooperación entre las influencias contextuales en la escuela primaria.
Palabras clave: Actividad física; educación primaria; escuela; revisión sistemática.
... En cuanto a las condiciones climáticas, diversos estudios realizados en países fríos (Canadá, Dinamarca e Irlanda del Norte) reflejan que las malas condiciones meteorológicas dificultan el desplazamiento y la realización de actividades al aire libre (Button, Tillmann y Gilliland, 2020;Nally et al., 2022;Pawloski et al., 2014). En contraste, en un estudio realizado en un país de clima templado como es el caso de España se ha identificado que tanto la luz del día como las buenas condiciones climáticas facilitan la reali-zación de la AF al aire libre (Martínez-Andrés et al., 2020). ...
Esta revisión sistemática tiene como objetivo examinar las barreras y los apoyos percibidos para la práctica de actividad física durante la infancia mediante el análisis de estudios realizados con niños o con adultos (progenitores, educadores, sanitarios u otros adultos directamente relacionados con la atención a la infancia). De un total de 567 documentos, se seleccionaron 21 artículos para su análisis. Según estos estudios, las principales barreras se relacionan con las políticas curriculares restrictivas de la actividad física, los estigmas sociales hacia la discapacidad y la obesidad, los estereotipos de género, las características familiares, la inseguridad percibida en la zona de residencia y la escasa colaboración entre familiares y entidades educativas, deportivas y sociales, entre otras. Como facilitadores aparecen las estrategias políticas orientadas a la promoción de la actividad física, la conciliación e implicación familiar, las zonas residenciales seguras y bien equipadas y el fácil acceso al medio natural, entre otros.
... Lifestyle interventions focusing on improving eating and physical activity behaviors have become standard approaches to improving health, although generally yielding only modest impact [80]. Unfortunately, sweat, stigma, fitting in, time, and comparison may jeopardize consistent participation in physical activity among various groups [81][82][83]. Moreover, training among school teachers in physical activity, if any, is not standardized [84][85][86]. ...
... Moreover, training among school teachers in physical activity, if any, is not standardized [84][85][86]. Limited time, resources for exercise, space, and personnel appear to be obstacles [81,82]. We hypothesize these obstacles can be overcome using current school resources and personnel through additional targeted pieces of training for school teachers, protocolized in-class physical activity curriculum, and directing teachers to prioritize physical activity time [84,85]. ...
At least 70% of US adults have metabolic disease. However, less is done to address early disease (e.g., overweight, obesity, prediabetes) versus advanced disease (e.g., type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease). Given the burden of advanced metabolic disease and the burgeoning pandemics of obesity and prediabetes a systematic response is required. To accomplish this, we offer several recommendations: (A) Patients with overweight, obesity, and/or prediabetes must be consistently diagnosed with these conditions in medical records to enable population health initiatives. (B) Patients with early metabolic disease should be offered in-person or virtual lifestyle interventions commensurate with the findings of the Diabetes Prevention Program. (C) Patients unable to participate in or otherwise failing lifestyle intervention must be screened to assess if they require pharmacotherapy. (D) Patients not indicated for, refusing, or failing pharmacotherapy must be screened to assess if they need bariatric surgery. (E) Regardless of treatment approach or lack of treatment, patients must be consistently screened for the progression of early metabolic disease to advanced disease to enable early control. Progression of metabolic disease from an overweight yet otherwise healthy person includes the development of prediabetes, obesity ± prediabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Systematic approaches in health systems must be deployed with clear protocols and supported by streamlined technologies to manage their population’s metabolic health from early through advanced metabolic disease. Additional research is needed to identify and validate optimal system-level interventions. Future research needs to identify strategies to roll out systematic interventions for the treatment of early metabolic disease and to improve the metabolic health among the progressively younger patients being impacted by obesity and diabetes.
... Some children became even more physically active due to missing out during the restrictions or having a greater understanding of the importance of physical health; these were generally the more physically competent children. Other children gained motivation due to social aspects and relatedness; they wanted to be physically active with their friends again [60]. Some children continued with more sedentary pursuits, often involving screentime, potentially due to a lack of motivation stemming from the restrictions. ...
Opportunities for children to be physically active during the COVID-19 pandemic were limited, resulting in a decrease in overall physical activity and an increase in sedentary behaviour during the lockdown restrictions of the pandemic. This study further explored these changes across various stages of the restrictions, starting during the first UK-wide lockdown in March 2020 through to the “new normal” in December 2021. Nine families, consisting of eleven children (36% girls, 64% boys; aged 13.38 years ± 1.14), eight mothers and one father were tracked throughout this time, using semi-structured interviews to explore the fluctuations in physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the home environment in the context of self-determination theory. Findings indicate that as restrictions eased, physical activity within the home decreased, as children were exposed to more opportunities at school and in the community; these opportunities seemingly increased children’s motivation to be physically active through increasing levels of their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Some children’s physical activity levels have returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, with a newfound enjoyment for being physically active. Whilst others now prefer to pursue more sedentary behaviours that became habitual during the lockdown restrictions. Accessible opportunities now need to be promoted to drive up children’s motivations to be physically active following the years of uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
