Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
06:51

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training

Published on: July 27, 2022

Predictors of time spent outdoors among children: 5-year longitudinal findings

V Cleland1, A Timperio, J Salmon

  • 1Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood 3125, Australia. verity.cleland@deakin.edu.au

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|September 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Environmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Physical activity is vital for health, yet declines with age.
  • Understanding factors influencing children's time outdoors is crucial for promoting activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate individual, social, and environmental influences on longitudinal changes in urban children's time spent outdoors.

Main Methods:

  • Parental reports of children's outdoor time (n=421) across 5 years (2001-2006).
  • Baseline assessment of individual, social, and environmental factors.
  • Generalized estimating equations analyzed longitudinal relationships.

Main Results:

  • Children's time outdoors significantly decreased over the study period.
  • Indoor tendencies, social opportunities, outdoor tendencies, parental encouragement, and supervision influenced time outdoors.
  • Specific factors showed varied impacts based on age and gender.

Conclusions:

  • Individual and social factors significantly predict children's time outdoors.
  • Interventions should address indoor tendencies, promote social outdoor play, and enhance parental encouragement and supervision.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature05:33

Measuring Biophysical and Psychological Stress Levels Following Visitation to Three Locations with Differing Levels of Nature

Published on: June 19, 2019

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children07:01

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Published on: March 1, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Longitudinal Research02:20

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...
Longitudinal Studies01:26

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
Naturalistic Observations02:30

Naturalistic Observations

If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

Gene-Environment Interactions

Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...