@article {Nichol:2009:0022-4391:247,
title = "Associations Between School Recreational Environments and Physical Activity",
journal = "The Journal of School Health",
parent_itemid = "infobike://bpl/josh",
publishercode ="bp",
year = "2009",
volume = "79",
number = "6",
publication date ="2009-06-01T00:00:00",
pages = "247-254",
itemtype = "ARTICLE",
issn = "0022-4391",
eissn = "1746-1561",
url = "https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/josh/2009/00000079/00000006/art00001",
doi = "doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00406.x",
keyword = "environmental health, physical fitness and sport, child and adolescent health",
author = "Nichol, MarianneE. and Pickett, William and Janssen, Ian",
abstract = "ABSTRACT Background: School environments may promote or hinder physical activity in young people. The purpose of this research was to examine relationships between school recreational environments and adolescent physical activity. Methods: Using multilevel logistic regression, data from 7638 grade 6 to 10 students from 154 schools who participated in the 2005/06 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Survey were analyzed. Individual and cumulative effects of school policies, varsity and intramural athletics, presence and condition of fields, and condition of gymnasiums on students self-reported physical activity (2 h/wk vs Moderate gradients in physical activity were observed according to number of recreational features and opportunities. Overall, students at schools with more recreational features and opportunities reported higher rates of class-time and free-time physical activity; this was strongest among high school students. Boys rates of class-time physical activity were 1.53 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12-1.80) times as high at high schools with the most recreational features as at schools with the fewest. Similarly, girls rates of free-time physical activity at school were 1.62 (95% CI: 0.96-2.21) times as high at high schools with the most opportunities and facilities as compared to schools with the fewest. Modest associations were observed between individual school characteristics and class-time and free-time physical activity. Conclusions: Taken together, the cumulative effect of school recreational features may be more important than any one characteristic individually.",
}