Combination of School Physical Activity Opportunities and Student Activity

Objectives: We compared elementary students' time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) during school hours according to a combination of school PA opportunities, including physical education (PE) class, recess, and classroom activity breaks. Methods: A total of 505 5th-6th graders in 12 Chicago suburban elementary schools completed PA measurement using accelerometers. Availability of PA opportunities on each accelerometer measurement day was recorded. Results: Students engaged in more MVPA on days when PE and recess were offered, compared to days with recess only (p < .01). Adding classroom activity breaks in addition to recess did not significantly increase MVPA. Conclusions: When implementing multiple school PA opportunities, careful scheduling may be important for effective PA promotion.