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The aim of this study was to examine potential child-level and day-level factors of accelerometer-measured sedentary time in a sample of rural Canadian children. Children (n = 86) from rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study. Children's sedentary times were identified and logged using an accelerometer. Child-level data (socio-demographic, household, and environment) came from surveys of children and their parents and a passively logging global positioning unit. Day-level data on day type (weekday/weekend) and weather (temperature, precipitation) were based on the dates of data collection and meteorological data came from the closest Environment Canada weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between child-level and day-level correlates of sedentary time. Boys were less sedentary than girls (b = 30.53 p = 0.01). For each one-year age increase, children's sedentary time increased (b = 12.79 p < 0.01). This study indicates a difference in sedentary time based on a child's age and gender. However, family, environmental, and weather characteristics did not influence sedentary time in this sample. Health practitioners who deliver care for northern rural youth can provide targeted health advice regarding sedentary time and consider gender and age to be risk factors for these behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Some Canadian schools have modified their daily schedules from the traditional school day (TSD) schedule (two 15‐minute breaks and one 60‐minute break) to a balanced school day (BSD) schedule (two 40‐minute breaks). While this change increases daily planning and instructional time, it also changes the amount of time available for moderate‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA). METHODS: This study uses a case‐control design to examine differences in objectively measured MVPA between children in 3 schools using a BSD schedule and 3 schools using a TSD schedule. Study participants (aged 10‐12 years) were recruited from schools in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS: Regardless of schedule type, girls had lower MVPA than boys, and as both boys and girls got older their MVPA significantly decreased. The findings indicate there was no statistically significant difference in the total minutes of in‐school MVPA between children from BSD schools and children from TSD schools. MVPA was significantly higher for older girls attending BSD schools than older girls attending TSD schools, suggesting that implementing a BSD may help curb declining MVPA as girls enter adolescence. CONCLUSION: Despite encouraging findings, more rigorous studies (ie, pre‐post experiments with control) are needed to better understand how changing schedules impacts children's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's perceptions of their environment have been associated with their physical activity (PA) levels, however a better understanding of the formation of perceptions within different contexts is needed. This will help to inform decision making related to physical inactivity trends in Canadian children. We examined socio-ecological factors influencing children's perceptions of barriers to PA in Ontario, Canada. Binary logistic regression models measured the relationship between perceptions of barriers and PA for 892 children in Ontario. At the intrapersonal level, girls reported the most barriers to PA. Interpersonally, children whose mother was employed reported the most barriers. At the physical environment level, children in urban and suburban neighbourhoods of large cities, and rural areas reported the most barriers, differing relative to population size. The major contribution of this paper is a new perspective of environmental influences on children's perceptions of PA, using an urbanicity spectrum, and highlighting place specific needs of Canadian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For children and youth, the journey to and from school represents a significant opportunity to increase daily levels of physical activity by using non-motorized modes of travel, such as walking and biking. Studies of active school travel have demonstrated that the likelihood a child will walk or bike is significantly influenced by the distance they must travel between home and school, which in turn, is influenced by built environment characteristics such as the configuration of the local road network. This study examines how shortcuts can facilitate active school travel by decreasing the distance children must travel to get to and from school. A geographic information system was used to compare shortest route distances along road networks with and without shortcuts in 32 elementary school zones in London, Ontario, Canada and provide evidence on the effectiveness of shortcuts to facilitate active school travel. This study contributes two key findings: (1) shortcuts have a greater impact in areas with low street connectivity and low population density and (2) children living farther from school are more likely to benefit from shortcuts. The findings suggest that planners should consider the location and maintenance of shortcuts in school neighbourhoods in order to promote increased physical activity, health and well-being among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity during childhood is associated with a multitude of physical, behavioural, and psychological health benefits. Identification of effective population level strategies for increasing children's physical activity levels is critical for improving the overall health of Canadians. The overall objective of this study is to assess how a naturally-occurring, community-level intervention which offers Grade 5 children in London, Canada a free access pass to physical activity opportunities (facilities and programs) for an entire school year can lead to increased physical activity among recipients.Methods/design: This study adopts a longitudinal cohort study design to assess the effectiveness of improving children's access to physical activity opportunities for increasing their physical activity levels. To meet our overall objective we have three aims: (1) to assess whether the provision of free access increases children's physical activity levels during and after the intervention compared to a control group; (2) to assess how and why child-specific trajectories of physical activity (between-children differences in level of physical activity measured across time) in the intervention group differ according to children's individual and household characteristics; and (3) to explore additional factors that are unaccounted for in the theoretical model to gain a further understanding of why the free access intervention had varying effects on changing physical activity levels. We will be addressing these aims using a mixed methods approach, including: a series of youth surveys conducted before, during, immediately after, and 4-months after the intervention; parent surveys before, during, and post-intervention; real-time tracking of the access pass use during the intervention; and focus groups at the conclusion of the intervention. Data compiled from the youth surveys will provide a subjective measure of physical activity to be used as our outcome measure to address our primary aims.Discussion: The results of this study can inform policy- and decision-makers about the sub-groups of the population that benefitted the most (or least) from the intervention to provide more specific information on how to develop and target future interventions to have a greater impact on the physical activity levels and overall health of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]