Associations between Amount of Recess, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Traits in U.S. Children

In the United States, it is recommended that schools provide at least 20 minutes of daily recess, but the optimal amount for health benefits is unknown. We examined associations between amount of recess and health indicators using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (NHANES; 2013-2016).

For this cross-sectional analysis, parents/guardians of 6-11 year olds (n=738) reported recess provision which was classified as low (22.8%; approximately 10-15 min, 5 days per week), medium (54.9%; approximately 16-30 min, 5 days per week), or high (22.3%; approximately >30 min, 5 days per week). Outcomes measured included parent/guardian-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA), blood pressure, cholesterol, grip strength, bone mineral content, weight status, percent body fat, vitamin D level, and C-reactive protein level. Linear and logistic regression compared outcomes by level of recess provision accounting for the NHANES complex survey design.

The odds of meeting PA guidelines according to parent/guardian reports were 1.70 and 2.05 times higher in those with medium and high (respectively) versus low recess provision. Accelerometer-measured weekday activity was highest in those with high recess provision while weekend activity was highest in those with low recess provision (Cohen's d = 0.40-0.45). There were no other significant associations.

At least 30 minutes of daily recess is associated with two-fold greater odds of achieving recommended PA levels according to parent/guardian reports; accelerometer data suggest this is through increased weekday activity. This finding suggests current national recess recommendations are insufficient for PA promotion. More detailed data on the frequency and duration of recess are needed to quantify optimal provision more precisely.