title: Permanent play facilities in school playgrounds as a determinant of children's activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate whether the number of permanent playground facilities in schools influences objectively measured physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical activity was measured using Actical accelerometers over 2 to 5 days in 417 children (5-12 years) from 7 schools. The number of permanent play facilities likely to encourage physical activity in individuals or groups of children (eg, adventure playgrounds, swings, trees, playground markings, courts, sandpits) were counted on 2 occasions in each school. The surface area of each playground (m(2)) was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of permanent play facilities in schools ranged from 14 to 35 and was positively associated with all measures of activity. For each additional play facility, average accelerometry counts were 3.8% (P < .001) higher at school and 2.7% (P < .001) higher overall. Each additional play facility was also associated with 2.3% (P = .001) or 4 minutes more moderate/vigorous activity during school hours and 3.4% (P < .001) more (9 minutes) over the course of the day. School playground area did not affect activity independent of the number of permanent play facilities. Findings were consistent across age and sex groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing the number of permanent play facilities at schools may offer a cost-effective and sustainable option for increasing physical activity in young children.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012574:Schools