159046 School physical activity equipment availability and access policy: Development of a brief scale and correlation with youth physical activity

Monday, November 5, 2007

Stephanie E. Doyle, MS , Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA
Nefertiti Durant, MD, MPH , General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Sion Kim Harris, PhD , Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Jacqueline Kerr, PhD , Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Brian E. Saelens, PhD , Seattle Children's, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Gregory J. Norman, PhD , Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA
James F. Sallis, PhD , San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Background: Most U.S. adolescents do not meet recommended levels for physical activity. Few studies have examined the role of the availability and access to school equipment and playing fields in promoting physical activity among youth.

Objective: To investigate the psychometric properties of measures of school equipment access and policies and their relationship to youth physical activity and TV watching.

Methods: A diverse sample of adolescents in 3 cities (N = 174, mean age = 14.6) completed surveys twice two weeks apart. Items assessed school equipment availability (6 items), field/equipment access and supervision (2) and physical activity homework (2). Physical activity and TV viewing (hrs/wk) were self-reported for a typical week.

Results: Test-retest reliability was high for school equipment availability (ICC=0.70), moderate for field/equipment access and supervision (ICC= 0.50) and low for physical activity homework (ICC=0.39). Inter-item consistency for all subscales was moderate to high (alpha range= 0.61 - 0.75). Field/equipment access and supervision was significantly correlated with higher physical activity (r=0.164, p=0.037). After controlling for demographics, school equipment availability and field/equipment access and supervision scores were marginally associated with physical activity (p=0.054 and p=0.066 respectively). Homework promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior was not related to TV watching or physical activity.

Conclusion: Initial testing of a new 10-item measure of school environment and policies for children's physical activity demonstrated good reliability and some evidence of validity. Further testing of the instrument is needed. Schools could promote student physical activity by making physical activity equipment accessible after school with supervision.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the relation of elements of the school physical environment to physical activity among children. 2. Identify the prevalence of physical activity homework from schools.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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