title: Factors Influencing Break-Time Physical Activity of South African Primary School Learners From Low-Income Communities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to assess factors that influence physical activity (PA) levels during break-times in South African primary school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The System for Observing Play and Leisure Activities in Youth (SOPLAY) was used to observe PA levels during break-times at low-income schools (4 intervention, 4 control). The intervention was based on action-planning including: school environment, curriculum, and family involvement. Categories of observed activity included Sedentary, Eating, Walking, or Vigorous PA. Contextual factors assessed included teacher supervision, equipment, and crowding. Chi-square tests were used to determine associations between PA levels and contextual factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 970 observations made, 31% of learners were sedentary, 14% were eating, 29% were walking, and 26% were engaged in vigorous PA. There were no differences in break-time PA between intervention and control groups (NS). With supervision, children were more likely to eat and less likely to do vigorous PA (P = .035). Playground crowding was associated with lower levels of vigorous activity and more sedentary behavior (P = .000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PA during break-time was adversely affected by over-crowding and lower with supervision. The results suggest that interventions may be targeted at the school policy environment to reduce these barriers to PA.
authors.affiliation: UCT/MRC Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uys
authors.forename: Catherine Elizabeth
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: Sharief
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: Anniza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Villiers
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: Nelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Steyn
authors.forename: Estelle Victoria
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D003479:Curriculum; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011203:Poverty; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D014505:Urban Population; D016138:Walking