Quantifying Objective In-School Physical Activity During Recess and Physical Education in 6-12-Year-Old Children.

Elementary school students did not meet the recommended 150 minutes of in-school moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week.

• In-school PA was assessed using hip-worn accelerometers over five consecutive school days.
• Sample consisted of N=408 students aged 6-12 years.
• The recommended benchmark of 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous PA was not achieved by students.
• Assessment covered both structured (P.E.) and unstructured (recess) PA opportunities.

Significant differences in physical activity during recess and P.E. were found based on student sex.

• MANOVA analyses in SPSS were used to assess differences in PA.
• Sex was identified as a significant factor differentiating PA levels during both recess and P.E.
• Accelerometry data from hip-worn devices were analyzed using accelerometry software.

Significant differences in physical activity during recess and P.E. were found based on student race.

• Race was identified as a significant differentiating factor in PA levels during school-based PA periods.
• Findings highlight equity concerns in physical activity opportunities across racial groups.
• Data were collected from N=408 students over five consecutive school days.

Significant differences in physical activity during recess and P.E. were found based on academic grade level.

• Academic grade was a significant factor in differentiating PA levels during recess and P.E.
• Students ranged from 6 to 12 years of age, spanning multiple grade levels.
• MANOVA was used to identify differences across grade levels.

The presence of a P.E. instructor was associated with significant differences in physical activity levels during P.E. and recess.

• Teachers recorded information regarding P.E. and recess conditions, including instructor presence.
• Presence of a trained P.E. instructor was identified as a significant factor in PA outcomes.
• Findings suggest that trained P.E. staff support higher-quality PA opportunities.
• This finding informed policy recommendations regarding staffing for PA programming.

Objective accelerometry was used to quantify in-school physical activity during both recess and physical education across five consecutive school days.

• Hip-worn accelerometers were used to objectively measure PA in N=408 students.
• Monitoring occurred over five consecutive school days.
• Accelerometry software was used alongside MANOVA in SPSS for data analysis.
• Teachers recorded contextual information about P.E. and recess periods to complement accelerometry data.