Biomaterial Database

Developmental trajectories of physical activity during elementary school physical education. 2016

Boris Cheval, and Delphine S Courvoisier, and Julien Chanal

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: boris.cheval@unige.ch.

Physical education (PE) during school provides an opportunity for children to be physically active. Few empirical studies have investigated developmental trajectories and determinants of objective moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during PE classes. The purpose of this study was to examine the developmental trajectories and determinants of MVPA during PE lessons in young children (8-12years of age) in primary schools. Students in grades 5-7 (n=1202; 51.2% girls) were recruited from 17 elementary schools from the Geneva canton in 2012-2013. The percentage of time spent in accelerometer-assessed MVPA during regular PE lessons was used as a dependent variable. Linear mixed-model analyses revealed (a) that boys had a higher percentage of MVPA than girls, but none of the children reached the recommended activity levels (i.e., 50% of the PE class time spent in MVPA), (b) a linear decrease in the percentage of MVPA with age, (c) that higher perceived competence predicted a higher percentage of MVPA, and (d) that higher perceived competence reduced the negative linear effect of age among boys, but not among girls. The percentage of PE time spent in MVPA did not reach recommendations made by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and decreased from 8 to 12years old both for boys and girls. Perceived competence appears crucial to reduce MVPA decline for boys, but not for girls.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010806	Physical Education and Training	Instructional programs in the care and development of the body, often in schools. The concept does not include prescribed exercises, which is EXERCISE THERAPY.	Education, Physical,Physical Education,Physical Education, Training
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D005082	Physical Exertion	Expenditure of energy during PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Intensity of exertion may be measured by rate of OXYGEN CONSUMPTION; HEAT produced, or HEART RATE. Perceived exertion, a psychological measure of exertion, is included.	Physical Effort,Effort, Physical,Efforts, Physical,Exertion, Physical,Exertions, Physical,Physical Efforts,Physical Exertions
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012574	Schools	Educational institutions.	Primary Schools,Schools, Secondary,Secondary Schools,Primary School,School,School, Primary,School, Secondary,Schools, Primary,Secondary School
D013334	Students	Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program.	School Enrollment,Enrollment, School,Enrollments, School,School Enrollments,Student
D015444	Exercise	Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.	Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise
D061725	Accelerometry	Qualitative and quantitative measurement of MOVEMENT patterns.