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Insufficient physical activity during the elementary school years has been associated with a number of health problems (Strong et al., 2006). During the school day, the recess period provides the greatest opportunity for children to engage in physical activity (Robert Wood Johnson, 2007). Nonetheless, most children spend the majority of their recess time in active. One strategy for increased physical activity during recess is to develop related interventions that reinforce physical activity from the school itself. While some research studies have identified modifiable factors, research suggests that a greater level of physical activity self-efficacy is the strongest predictor of increased physical activity among elementary-aged children (Coakley, & White, 1992; Mulvihill, Rivers, & Aggleton, 2000; Trost, Pate, Saunders, Ward, Dowda, & Felton, 1997; Trost, 1999; Zakarian et al., 1994). Research suggests that strong influences on this age group include a teacher's encouragement and competent adult modeling (Chase 1995, Lirgg & Feltz, 1991; Trost et al. 2003). The purpose of this study is to compare whether a teacher's encouragement alone and modeling by a competent adult alone influence children's recess time physical activity self-efficacy. In our study, this construct is measured through barrier self-efficacy (adult encouragement and other) and task self-efficacy (light, moderate, and vigorous). One hundred sixty-one students were assigned randomly to one of three groups: 1) modeling 2) encouragement, and 3) comparison. We collected pretreatment and posttreatment self-efficacy data as well. There was no significant interaction between the treatment and gender on self-efficacy. However, there was a significant main effect detected for treatment on adult encouragement barrier self-efficacy. Findings suggest that when teachers encourage children to be active, they may internalize the encouragement and become less dependent on external sources of encouragement to motivate them to be active during recess.

Physical activity is linked with health and academic benefits. While recess provides the greatest opportunity for children to accumulate physical activity, most children are not motivated to engage in sufficient amounts of physical activity during recess. Research demonstrates a strong relationship between self-efficacy and children's motivation to engage in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to explore whether in the context of recess there is a relationship between physical activity self-efficacy and children's motivation to engage in physical activity. One hundred and sixty-one students were recruited from three elementary schools. Physical activity self-efficacy (barrier and task) and physical activity data were collected utilizing a self-efficacy instrument and accelerometers. This study found evidence of two types of barrier self-efficacy, adult encouragement barrier self-efficacy and other barrier self-efficacy, neither of these types of barrier self-efficacy, nor task self-efficacy were found to be significantly related to motivation to engage in physical activity during recess. Given research suggesting that other types of physical activity self-efficacy may be useful in understanding children motivation to engage in physical activity, more research in this area is needed. Future research may consider exploring the relationship between asking efficacy, environmental change efficacy and motivation to engage in recess-time physical activity. This research can assist practitioners and researchers identify modifiable correlates associated with children's recess time physical activity. Such evidence could be utilized to develop interventions that are effective at increasing the amount of physical activity children accumulate during recess time.

Objectives: To assess whether a telephone-based breastfeeding intervention delivered by lactation educators influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates among low-income Hispanic women in the USA. Design: Randomised two-group design. Setting: Pregnant low-income Hispanic women (298) were recruited from community health clinics in Los Angeles County (USA) and randomly assigned to either a control or an intervention group. Methods: Data relating to the factors associated with breastfeeding were collected during the third trimester. Breastfeeding outcome data were collected at 72 hours, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postpartum. Results: There were no differences between the groups in rates of breastfeeding initiation. There was a significant difference in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among participants during the infant's first week of life. While not significant, after controlling for covariates and intent to breastfeed at third trimester, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding among all participants was, on average, longer for intervention group mothers than control group mothers. Additionally, the intervention group mothers were more likely to report exclusive and only breastfeeding at all data points compared to the control group and less likely to discontinue breastfeeding. Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that telephone-based breastfeeding interventions delivered by a lactation educator show promise as a cost-effective strategy for improving both the quantity and the duration of breastfeeding among low-income Hispanic women in the USA. Intervention group mothers not only sustained breastfeeding for a longer durations but also provided their infants with greater amounts of breast milk over these longer durations.

Background: Less than half of elementary children meet the physical activity recommendations of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on a daily basis. Recess provides the single biggest opportunity for children to accumulate MVPA. This study explored whether a teacher's social prompting to be active during recess alone and modeling of active recess-time games alone may increase the amount of MVPA children accumulate during recess. Methods: Three demographically matched schools were randomly assigned to receive a social prompting intervention, modeling intervention, or to serve as a comparison group. Pre- and postintervention physical activity data was collected utilizing accelerometers. Results: Compared with preintervention, MVPA during recess increased significantly in the social prompting group and decreased significantly in the modeling group. There were no significant changes in the comparison group. There was a significant interaction between time and intervention: pre- to postintervention change between interventions was significant for modeling versus comparison and modeling versus social prompting, but not for social prompting versus comparison. Conclusions: Modeling was not an effective strategy for increasing MVPA during recess. Social prompting may be an effective strategy for increasing MVPA during recess. However, larger studies are needed to determine whether social prompting increases MVPA during recess. In light of evidence suggesting that MVPA is linked to lower obesity rates, and a substantial number of health and academic benefits, social prompting may be a useful strategy to further explore to address the childhood obesity epidemic, and improve students' health and academic outcomes. (Contains 3 tables.)

Objective: The current study investigates the extent to which a refundable tax credit could be used to increase low-income children's after-school physical activity levels. Methods: An experimental study was conducted evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention offering a simulated refundable tax credit to parents of elementary-school-age children (n = 130) for enrollment in after-school physical activity programs. A randomized controlled design was used, with data collected at baseline, immediately following the 4-month intervention (postintervention), and 6 weeks after the end of the intervention (follow-up). Evaluation measures included (1) enrollment rate, time spent, weekly participation frequency, duration of enrollment, and long-term enrollment patterns in after-school physical activity programs and (2) moderate to vigorous physical activity. Results: The simulated tax credits did not significantly influence low-income children's rates of enrollment in after-school physical activity programs, frequency of participation, time spent in after-school physical activity programs, and overall moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity at postintervention or follow-up. Conclusions: The use of refundable tax credits as incentives to increase participation in after-school physical activity programs in low-income families may have limited effectiveness. Lawmakers might consider other methods of fiscal policy to promote physical activity such as direct payment to after-school physical activity program providers for enrolling and serving a low-income child in a qualified program, or improvements to programming and infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One modifiable factor linked to the current childhood obesity epidemic is inactivity among children. In hopes of providing researchers and practitioners with insight for combating the childhood obesity epidemic, the objective of this review is to synthesize the research on the association between peer and/or friends? influence and elementary school-aged children?s physical activity behaviors. Six databases were searched to identify studies published within the last 20 years that assess the relationship between peer and/or friends? influence and elementary school-aged children?s physical activity behaviors. Analysis of the 13 studies meeting these criteria identified four processes through which peers and/or friends may be associated with elementary school-aged children?s physical activity behaviors: modeling, social support, popularity and victimization. While more research is needed in this area, this review suggests that there is an association between peer and/or friends? influence and elementary school-aged children?s physical activity levels. Peer victimization may be negatively associated with children?s physical activity levels. Peer support is positively correlated with children?s physical activity. Among boys, popularity may be associated with physical activity. Finally, evidence suggests that peer models may be effective at enhancing physical activity among girls and children with low physical activity self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]