title: What Is the Relationship between Outdoor Time and Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Physical Fitness in Children? A Systematic Review.
abstract: The objective of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between outdoor time and: (1) physical activity, (2) cardiorespiratory fitness, (3) musculoskeletal fitness, (4) sedentary behaviour; or (5) motor skill development in children aged 3-12 years. We identified 28 relevant studies that were assessed for quality using the GRADE framework. The systematic review revealed overall positive effects of outdoor time on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and cardiorespiratory fitness, although causality could not be assumed due to a lack of RCTs. Motor skill development was unrelated to outdoor time; however, this relationship was only examined in a single study of preschool children. No studies were found that examined associations between outdoor time and musculoskeletal fitness.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada. casgray@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada. rlgibbons6@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada. rlarouche@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larouche
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Health, Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education, Thrond Nergaards Vei 7, NO-7044 Trondheim, Norway. ebs@dmmh.no.
authors.forename: Ellen Beate Hansen
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Sandseter
authors.affiliation: Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, 64 Hatt Street, Dundas, ON L9H 7T6, Canada. adam@naturalplaygrounds.ca.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bienenstock
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Injury Research & Prevention Unit, Child & Family Research Institute, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, F511-4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada. mbrussoni@cw.bc.ca.|Department of Pediatrics, School of Population & Public Health, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, F511-4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada. mbrussoni@cw.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brussoni
authors.affiliation: Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention, Quebec Heart and Lung Research Institute, Laval University, 2725 Chemin Ste-Foy, Local Y4283, Quebec, QC G1V 4G5, Canada. guylaine.chabot@criucpq.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Guylaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chabot
authors.affiliation: School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia, 379-2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC B6T 1Z4, Canada. susan.herrington@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrington
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, ON K7L 2P5, Canada. ian.janssen@queensu.ca.|Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Carruthers Hall, Kingston, ON K7L 2P5, Canada. ian.janssen@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Carruthers Hall, Kingston, ON K7L 2P5, Canada.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.affiliation: Forest School Canada, 411 Corkstown Road, Ottawa, ON K2K 2Y1, Canada.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Studies, Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University, 416 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA. rlgibbons6@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stanger
authors.affiliation: Library Services, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada. ebs@dmmh.no.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada. adam@naturalplaygrounds.ca.|Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada. adam@naturalplaygrounds.ca.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: cardiorespiratory fitness; children; motor skill development; musculoskeletal fitness; outdoor time; physical activity; sedentary behaviour