PHYSICAL EDUCATION'S CONTRIBUTION TO CHILDREN'S DAILY STEP COUNTS

Written by: Tim Brusseau, College of Brockport, State University of New York (biography)

There have been well-documented increases in overweight and obese children, and an increase in sedentary lifestyles in the United States (Mokdad et al., 1999). These increases in overweightness and obesity are exposing large proportions of the population to severe health-related problems (Booth, Gordon, Carlson, & Hamilton, 2000; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 1997). The prevalence of obesity amongst U.S. children is the highest in the world (Wang & Dietz, 2002). Furthermore, the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and the Council on School Health (2006) have identified youth physical activity (PA) as a potential means of reversing the obesity epidemic. Schools (especially physical education classes) have been identified as ideal institutional settings for PA promotion and the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity (CDC, 1997; Luepker, et al, 1996; Sallis & McKenzie, 1991; Story, 1999).

A number of studies have examined pedometer-determined PA during physical education classes. Physical education has traditionally been linked to PA opportunities for all children and is generally required in schools for U.S. children. PA opportunities during physical education classes have been recognized as having an important role in public health (Sallis & McKenzie, 1991) and often provide the predominant PA opportunities for children with obesity or disability-related issues. Pangrazi, Beighle, and Sidman (2002) have suggested that 1,200 to 2,000 steps is a reasonable number for an active 30-minute physical education class. Studies addressing physical education activity patterns discussed below are organized by school level (e.g. elementary or secondary).

Elementary Physical Education

Louie and Chan (2003) examined the PA patterns of 145 Hong Kong preschoolers during a 25-minute physical education class. The 3-5 year old boys accumulated an average of 1,470 steps (58.8 steps/minute) and the girls accumulated an average of 1,147 steps (45.9 steps/min). Kodish, Kulinna, Martin, Pangrazi, and Darst (2006), in an effort to predict PA behavior using the Theory of Planned Behavior, explored the PA patterns of 114 fifth and sixth grade students over two physical education classes in the Southwest region of the U.S. The two classes included a throwing and catching focus and a track and field focus. Results suggested that boys accumulated an average of 1,182 steps per class, and the girls averaged 1,091 steps per class.

Scruggs, et al. (2003) examined the PA of first and second grade students during a 30-minute physical education class. The study included 369 participants, and the results suggested that boys accumulated an average of 1,844 to 1,862 steps during physical education. The girls accumulated similar step count averages of 1,864 to 1,890 during physical education. A similar study by Scruggs, Beveridge, Watson, and Clocksin (2005) quantified the steps of 1st-4th grade students during a 30-minute physical education class. The results indicated that first and second grade students (n=126) accumulated an average of 1,862 (boys) and 1,755 (girls) steps. Third and fourth graders (n=131) accumulated averages of 2,035 (boys) and 1,858 (girls) steps.

Tudor-Locke et al. (2006) examined step values in physical education as part of the segmented day. Eighty one 11-12 year olds in the sixth grade were monitored for six school days in the Southwest U.S. During a 30-minute physical education class, the participants accumulated an average of 1,429 and 1,410 steps, respectively for boys and girls. A recent study examined the steps accumulated during physical education of fourth and fifth grade children across six schools in Arizona. The children accumulated 1,662 and 1,581 for boys and girls, respectively (Brusseau, Kulinna, Tudor-Locke, Ferry, van der Mars, & Darst, 2009).

Secondary Physical Education

Flohr, Todd, and Tudor-Locke (2006) determined the step counts of 44 seventh grade students during physical education classes in the U.S. Pedometers were used for two weeks, and students were prompted by researchers to record steps during (as well as before and after) physical education classes. Boys accumulated an average of 2,379 steps and girls accumulated an average of 1,782 steps during a 50-minute physical education class. Reed, Metzker, and Phillips (2004) examined the steps counts of U.S. middle school students (grade 6-8) during a 45-minute physical education class. The study indicated that 6th graders (approximately 11 years old) accumulated an average of 1,598 (boys) and 1,312 (girls) steps during physical education. Seventh-grade students accumulated an average of 2,365 (boys) and 1,850 (girls) steps and eighth graders accumulated an average of 1,638 (boys) and 1,696 (girls) steps during physical education. The small number of 8th graders (n=24) was a limitation that the author suggested may have skewed the data.

Summary of the Findings

Elementary school aged boys accumulated a range of approximately 1,200 - 2,000 steps in physical education across the five studies for this age. Girls accumulated a range of 1,100 - 1,900 steps during the same 30-minute physical education classes. Middle school aged youth accumulated a range of approximately 1,600 - 2,400 steps during physical education classes for boys and 1,300 - 1,800 steps for girls during 45-50 minute physical education classes.

Further Considerations

Little evidence exists, however, that illustrates the actual contribution of physical education to the overall physical activity (PA) patterns of children (i.e. Do children accumulate more steps on days that they have physical education?). One recent study (Brusseau, Kulinna, Tudor-Locke, Darst, & van der Mars, 2009) examined the physical education day and non-physical education day step patterns of 829 fourth and fifth grade children.

The study found a steps/day average of 12,979 (14,197 steps/day for boys and 12,058 steps/day for girls) on days in which they had physical education classes. On non-physical education school days, the participating youth accumulated 11,809 steps/day (12,788 steps/day for boys and 11,047 steps/day for girls). Interestingly, the children that had multiple days of physical education per week (n = 229) averaged 12,454 steps/weekday compared to 11,586 (? = 868) for students that had only a single day of physical education.

These recent results suggest that physical education days may contribute an additional 1,409 and 1,011 steps/day for boys and girls, respectively. Further, children with multiple days of physical education accumulated 846-1046 more steps per day than those with only one day of physical education. Taking these findings into consideration, over the course of a week, it is possible for a weekly increase of 5,230 steps if children are exposed to daily physical education.

references


Dr. Tim Brusseau is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, & Physical Education at the College at Brockport, State University of New York. Dr. Brusseau’s teaching specialty is secondary physical education and coaching. His research interests are related to understanding children and youth physical activity and interventions targeting their physical activity.

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