title: The contribution of recess to children's school-day physical activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recess is an important component of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, providing approximately 1268 and 914 steps for boys and girls, respectively, within a 15-minute time period. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of unstructured recess on children's school-day physical activity levels and to examine if recess and school-day physical activity levels varied by BMI, gender, and grade level.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred sixty third- to fifth-grade students from 2 elementary schools wore pedometers during 4 recess periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recess accounted for 17% to 44% of school-day step counts. There was a significant main effect for grade level, but not for BMI or gender, on the percentage of school-day steps accumulated during recess.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 15-minute recess makes a valuable contribution to children's school-day physical activity, especially for the least active children. More research is warranted to determine environmental influences on children's recess physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erwin
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beighle
authors.forename: Melody P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Noland
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Worley
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riggs
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011998:Recreation / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*