Browsing by Author "Fuentes Diaz, Maria Fernanda"

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    Role of school outdoor play structures on the physical activity level of children during recess: A pilot study
    (University of New Brunswick, 2023-04) Fuentes Diaz, Maria Fernanda; Bouchard, Danielle
    The contribution of outdoor play structures to moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is unclear. The main objective was to explore the differences in MVPA in children aged 8 to 10 years old having access or not to outdoor play structures during school recess time. A total of 82 children wore a wrist-worn heart rate monitor for seven consecutive days to determine time spent at MVPA using a Fitbit for a minimum of three full school days at various times of day and weekly. No difference in MVPA was observed when accessing or not the outdoor play structures within-group (n=37) median (25th - 75th) [(16 minutes (7-30) vs. 14 minutes (5-22) p=0.32)] nor between groups (n=22) [16 minutes (7-26) p=0.92)]. The strongest variable associated with MVPA during recess was weekly MVPA (p<0.01). Schools might want to have various options for children to play during recess, allowing children to cumulate MVPA.