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From policy to practice: Examining the role of recess in elementary school
Janelle Thalken1, William V Massey1, Alexandra Szarabajko1
1College of Public Health and Human Sciences, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Kinesiology Program, Oregon State University, United States.
Objectives:
To examine the relationship between school recess policies, the quality of the recess environment and body mass index (BMI) among elementary school children.
Study Design:
Observational.
Methods:
Data were collected at 23 schools across four geographically distinct regions of the United States. Measures included recess observations using the Great Recess Framework-Observational Tool (GRF-OT), recess policies were collected with the School Physical Activity and Policy Assessment, and BMI was obtained through height and weight measurements among 429 students in third and fifth grade.
Results:
Results showed that school policies related to recess access significantly predicted children's BMI, and school policies related to investment in recess significantly predicted recess quality as measured by the GRF-OT.
Conclusions:
Results from this study can be used to help inform future research regarding how school recess policies can impact child-level outcomes and the recess environment.
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