title: A microgeographic analysis of physical activity behavior within elementary school grounds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is little scholarship on physical activity among children within outdoor spaces and work is needed to advance the design of these spaces from "best practices" towards evidence-based design. This project examined how playground feature density relates to children's physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity to observe children's physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We observed children during school recess on 24 school grounds in the Denver metropolitan area of Colorado, in spring of 2010 and 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31,069 observations were made from an estimated 9900 children aged 5 to 12. These were aggregated and analyzed in 397 playground zones.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined utilization, the number of children present in a particular activity zone during an observation, and the percentage of children engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity as they relate to the density of constructed features on school playgrounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ordinary least-squares linear regression model assessed the relationship between playground feature density and the utilization and moderate to vigorous physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant positive associations were observed between utilization and feature density among all children (β = .20; p < .001) and a statistically significant but small association was observed between moderate to vigorous physical activity and feature density for girls (β = .12; p = .013), but not for boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis contributes to evidence that design features of play spaces may influence children's behavior within school grounds.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Anthamatten
authors: Erin
authors: E
authors: Fiene
authors: Eve
authors: E
authors: Kutchman
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Mainar
authors: Lois
authors: L
authors: Brink
authors: Ray
authors: R
authors: Browning
authors: Claudio R
authors: CR
authors: Nigg
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012574:Schools
keywords: Health focus: physical activity; Outcome measure: physical activity; Research purpose: evaluation of built environment design; Setting: elementary schools; Strategy: built environment; Study design: cross-sectional; Target population age: elementary school aged children; Target population circumstances: school recess; Utilization, SOPLAY, Children, School, Playground, Design, Pattern, Grounds, Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research