In the United States, childhood obesity continues to increase at unprecedented rates. School-based occupational therapists can play a more significant role in health promotion and obesity prevention efforts in the school setting. Since this is a relatively new role for occupational therapists, there is still a tremendous gap in the literature…

Background: In this study, we examined moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of children in a school district serving children from low-income and minority households. Methods: This observational study was conducted in 8 rural elementary schools in South Carolina. Children (N = 719, age = 7.7 years, 48.0% girls, 88.0% African American)…

One primary goal of physical education (PE) is to promote students' lifelong physical activity (PA). This goal implies that PE should not only improve students' PA in PE classes but also promote their PA outside of the school known as the "PE effect." Purpose: In this study, we proposed a two-pathway model of the "PE effect"…

Purpose: The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) is a valid, reliable method for understanding how people engage in physical activity (PA) in various permanent settings (e.g., parks) and contexts. However, its utility, reliability, and validity in temporary spaces has not been examined. Temporary spaces can provide PA…

Schools around the nation are attempting to increase the amount of physical activity (PA) students receive through a variety of creative means. Recently, organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have sounded an alarm about the lack of time children spend in PA participation. The purpose…

The purpose of this research was to examine the extent to which preschools satisfy the natural need for physical activity of a young child in the summer holidays and during the school year. The measurement of physical activity of children and its level was performed with the use of Actigraph accelerometers and the Steps per Minute test. The sample…

The purpose of this article is to propose ways in which to increase PA levels in students from elementary and secondary schools, based on the implications of research findings examining adults' attitudes, beliefs, outlooks and preferences on PA and exercise. In other words, can the information that we have learned from adults in their relationship…

Background: Leisure activity has been linked to optimal ageing outcomes, yet little is known about the type and level of leisure activity adults with Down syndrome currently engage in, and the factors that promote and hinder their leisure activities. Materials and Methods: A daily diary was utilized to provide an in-depth description of the…

The Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week is a national outreach event sponsored by the American Physiological Society. Our PhUn team conducted an event for 551 students (12.5 ± 0.9 yr old) in a middle school in Indiana. The aims of this program were to: (1) teach about the negative consequences of inactivity on cardiovascular (CV) health and…

Teachers are considered important role models for the behavior of children during early childhood. The purposes of this study are to: (a) compare activity levels of preschool children in a structured physical education (PE) class taught by an active or less active teacher; (b) examine the interaction effect of gender, school size, and teacher…

This study measured the physical activity contributions of Dancing Classrooms on middle school students. Data were collected on 77 students from two large urban middle schools who wore Actigraph wGT3X+ accelerometers for 2 weeks during the program. Physical activity profiles were created to show participant heart rates and step counts. Focus…

Background: This study aimed to compare the nutritional and bone health status between young men with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and those without intellectual disability and to determine predictors for their bone health status. Method: A total of 95 men (47 men with intellectual disability; 48 men without intellectual disability),…

The Cooperative Extension system is uniquely positioned to lead rural community efforts to prevent obesity in early childhood. This article explores best practices in promoting healthy weights among young children and shares examples and resources relevant to Extension programming. The West Virginia (WV) Healthy Children Project aims to improve…

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of a novel technique determining parent-child proximity using Bluetooth-enabled accelerometers. Nineteen parents and children (18-60 months; 38.4 ± 13.2 months) wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer for 7 days. Parental accelerometers continuously emitted a Bluetooth signal, while children's…

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate an unstructured and a structured program designed to increase physical activity (PA). The unstructured program increased the amount of equipment during recess, whereas the structured program introduced activities to students. Methods: PA was observed using the System for Observing Play and…