Wasting Our Time? Allocated Versus Accumulated Physical Activity in Afterschool Programs

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Exercise Science
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Afterschool programs (ASPs) offer opportunities for children to engage in physical activity (PA).
• The optimal duration of daily PA within ASPs to meet public health recommendations is not well-established.
• Understanding PA accumulation in children within ASPs is crucial for public health guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the association between allocated time for PA in ASPs and children's accumulated moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
• To identify the minimum daily PA allocation in ASPs that maximizes MVPA in children.
• To assess the proportion of children meeting PA recommendations through ASP participation.

Main Methods:

• 1248 children (5-12 years) from 20 ASPs wore accelerometers for up to 4 weekdays.
• Data collected during spring 2013 (February-April).
• Daily schedules of ASPs were analyzed to determine allocated PA time.

Main Results:

• ASPs allocating ≥ 60 minutes daily for PA yielded higher MVPA levels (24.8-25.1 min/day for boys, 17.1-19.4 min/day for girls) compared to those allocating ≤ 45 minutes.
• No significant differences in MVPA were observed among ASPs allocating 60, 75, or ≥105 minutes of PA daily.
• Overall, 26% of children (31% boys, 14% girls) met the recommended 30 minutes of daily MVPA.

Conclusions:

• Allocating more than 60 minutes of daily PA opportunities in ASPs does not lead to increased MVPA accumulation.
• An allocation of 60 minutes of daily PA, coupled with enhanced PA opportunities, appears optimal for maximizing children's MVPA.
• Targeting 60 minutes of daily PA in ASPs can help children achieve recommended physical activity levels.