title: [Perception of the environment for physical activity of schoolchildren in the province of Cuenca, Spain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the influence of perception of the environment in physical activity habits of schoolchildren (aged 9-11 years) in the province of Cuenca, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a phenomenological perspective drawings were analyzed individual about their environment and places you normally would from a purposive sample of 32 students of 4th and 5th year of primary education. These same students participated in seven focus groups with a script aimed to obtain information on their perception of the environment and its influence on physical activity habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After analyzing four categories emerged: residence, urban configuration, displacements/commuting and sense of belonging or membership to the neighborhood. The students perceived that reside in gated communities or in rural areas facilitates physical activity of schoolchildren, while residing in neighborhoods and cities less accessible, feeling of insecurity traffic, make car journeys, and the sense of not belonging or membership to the neighborhood were perceived by children as barriers to being active.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The perception of the environment influences physical activity habits of schoolchildren in the province of Cuenca. Changes in physical activity patterns of schoolchildren cannot take place without considering the context in which the individual exists, so specific strategies are needed that take into account the urban environment to promote physical activity of schoolchildren.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Trabajo Social, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España; Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios (CESS), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Zornoza
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Terapia Ocupacional, Logopedia y Enfermería, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, España.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Martín
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios (CESS), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Andrés
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios (CESS), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España.
authors.forename: Úrsula
authors.initials: Ú
authors.lastname: García-López
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios (CESS), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España; Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, España. Electronic address: Mairena.Sanchez@uclm.es.
authors.forename: Mairena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-López
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013030:Spain
keywords: Actividad física; Barreras; Barriers; Build environment; Entorno; Escolares; Investigación cualitativa; Obesidad; Obesity; Physical activity; Qualitative methods; Schoolchildren