title: Association Between School Policies and Built Environment, and Youth's Participation in Various Types of Physical Activities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  School environmental characteristics may be associated with youth's participation in different types of physical activities (PAs). This study aimed to identify which school policies and built environmental characteristics were associated with participation in organized, nonorganized, individual, and group-based activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional analysis included 776 students in grade 5 or 6 from 16 schools. The school environment was assessed through school-based questionnaires completed by school representatives. Types of PA and attainment of PA recommendations were obtained using self-administered student questionnaires. Associations between environment and student PA were examined using multilevel logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Schools with favorable active commuting environments were positively associated with girls' participation in organized (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-1.74) and group-based PA (OR = 1.54, CI = 1.19-1.99) and with boys' odds of participating in individual activities (OR = 1.45, CI = 1.04-2.04). There was also a positive relationship between having a school environment favorable to active commuting and boys' odds of meeting PA recommendations (OR = 2.19, CI = 1.43-3.37). School policies supporting PA were positively associated with girls' odds of participating in nonorganized activities (OR = 1.18, CI = 1.00-1.40).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School environments that favor active commuting may encourage participation in different types of PA. School policies promoting PA also may encourage girls to participate in organized activities.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke Pavillon J-Raymond Frenette, 15 rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. stephanie.ward@umoncton.ca.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Pavillon J-Raymond Frenette, 15 rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Mathieu.f.belanger@usherbrooke.ca.|Centre de Formation Médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Pavillon J.-Raymond Frenette, 15, rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Mathieu.f.belanger@usherbrooke.ca.|Vitalité Health Network, Pavillon J-Raymond Frenette, 15 rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Mathieu.f.belanger@usherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bélanger
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Univeristé de Sherbrooke, Centre de Formation Médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Pavillon J.-Raymond Frenette, 15, rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Denise.Donovan@usherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.affiliation: Centre de Formation Médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Pavillon J.-Raymond Frenette, 15, rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Isabelle.m.caissie@umoncton.ca.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caissie
authors.affiliation: Centre de Formation Médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Pavillon J.-Raymond Frenette, 15, rue des Aboiteaux, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada E1A 3E9. Julie.Goguen@usherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goguen
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1H 5N4. Alain.vanasse@usherbrooke.ca.
authors.forename: Allain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanasse
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009509:New Brunswick; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: active commuting; built environment; physical activity; school policies; youth