Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026
06:51
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
A microgeographic analysis of physical activity behavior within elementary school grounds
American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|August 27, 2013
Summary
Playground feature density is linked to increased children
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Childhood Obesity Research
- Urban Planning and Design
Background:
- Limited research exists on children's physical activity in outdoor spaces.
- Evidence-based design principles are needed for children's play areas.
- Playground design may influence physical activity levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between playground feature density and children's physical activity.
- To inform evidence-based design of school playgrounds.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity (SOPLAY) for data collection.
- Observed 9,900 children (aged 5-12) across 24 school grounds in the Denver metropolitan area.
- Employed ordinary least-squares linear regression to analyze feature density's impact on utilization and physical activity.
Main Results:
- Higher playground feature density correlated with increased utilization by all children.
- A significant, though small, positive association was found between feature density and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in girls.
- No significant association was found for boys.
Conclusions:
- Playground design, specifically feature density, can influence children's physical activity levels.
- Findings support the integration of evidence-based design in school playground development.
- Further research can optimize play spaces for promoting physical activity.
Keywords:
Health focus: physical activityOutcome measure: physical activityResearch purpose: evaluation of built environment designSetting: elementary schoolsStrategy: built environmentStudy design: cross-sectionalTarget population age: elementary school aged childrenTarget population circumstances: school recessUtilization, SOPLAY, Children, School, Playground, Design, Pattern, Grounds, Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research
Related Concept Videos
02:30Naturalistic 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...
01:22Microenvironments
Microorganisms inhabit highly localized spaces known as microenvironments, which are defined by distinct physical and chemical characteristics. These include oxygen concentration, pH, temperature, light availability, and nutrient levels. The conditions within a microenvironment can differ markedly from those in the surrounding area and significantly influence microbial growth, metabolism, and community structure.Microenvironments often display sharp physicochemical gradients over small spatial...