A multilevel examination of factors of the school environment and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity among a sample of secondary school students in grades 9-12 in Ontario, Canada.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between students' time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the school built environment while also considering features of the schools' social environment and student-level characteristics.


METHODS
Using surveys and GIS measures, multilevel linear regression analysis was applied to examine the environment- and student-level characteristics associated with time spent in MVPA among grade 9-12 students (n = 22,117) attending 76 secondary schools in Ontario, Canada as part of the SHAPES-Ontario study.


RESULTS
Statistically significant between-school random variation in student MVPA was identified [[Formula: see text] = 9,065.22 (250.64)]; school-level differences accounted for 3.0% of the variability in student MVPA. Students attending a school that offered daily physical education or provided an alternate room for physical activity spent more time in MVPA than students attending a school without these resources. Moreover, as land-use mix diversity and walkability of the school neighbourhood increased, students' time spent in MVPA decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Developing a better understanding of the environment- and student-level characteristics associated with students' time spent in MVPA is critical for informing school-based physical activity intervention programmes and policies.
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Erin
E
Hobin
Scott
S
Leatherdale
Steve
S
Manske
Joel
J
Dubin
Susan
S
Elliott
Paul
P
Veugelers
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D009864:Ontario; D012574:Schools; D012931:Social Environment; D013997:Time Factors