Association between the school physical activity environment, measured and self-reported student physical activity and active transport behaviours in Victoria, Australia

Assessing Obesogenic School Environments in Sibiu County, Romania: Adapting the ISCOLE School Environment Questionnaire

The impact of the school environment on childhood weight status has garnered significant attention in recent years. This study aimed to adapt and validate the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) School and Environment questionnaire in order to assess the potential obesogenic impact of school environments in Sibiu County, Romania. The ISCOLE questionnaire was chosen for its rigorous methodology. It was derived from a comprehensive study conducted across 12 countries which aimed to capture multifaceted influences on childhood weight while emphasizing educational settings in the collection of data. To guide the translation and adaptation of the questionnaire, a multidisciplinary committee was assembled which comprised experts in teaching and school administration to ensure target responder relevance, experts in clinical research to ensure methodological robustness, experts in language adaptation to preserve the original intent of the survey, and experts in public health to steer the interpretation of the results, with potential policy implications. The data were analyzed by distinguishing between urban and rural settings, and a two-step cluster analysis was implemented to identify potential intervention targets. To assess the validity of the adapted tool, the questionnaire's construct validity and internal consistency were explored. A response rate of 71.2% of the approached schools in Sibiu County was achieved. Of the 84 responding school representatives, 37 (44%) were from a rural setting. The rural schools had significantly more limited access to gymnasiums, secured lockers, showers, and bicycle racks, and exhibited more serious problems regarding the inadequate disposal of garbage in the school vicinity. A two-step cluster analysis revealed distinct school categories, providing opportunities for public policy interventions. One of these primarily concerned rural schools with limited infrastructure but with proactive practices and policies which were termed "unable but willing"; on the opposing spectrum, the category "able but unwilling" mainly comprised urban schools which had available facilities but lacked local proactive initiatives. The findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted measures to bridge these discrepancies by investing in infrastructure in rural schools and promoting active school practices and policies in urban settings. The assessment of obesogenic school environments in Sibiu County provides a pilot model for broader applications due to the diverse school landscape and supportive local authorities. The results, which were achieved using low-cost methods, can guide future educational policies, health promotion initiatives, and preventive interventions.

Association between school environment with sedentary behavior and physical activity intensity in children

We examined the association between indicators of the school environment with sedentary behavior and different intensities of physical activity in children. The study that included 515 children (265 boys) aged 9-11 years old from public and private schools in the city of São Caetano do Sul. Sedentary behavior and different intensities of physical activity were evaluated with an accelerometer. Inside school environment (policies, supervision committee, extracurricular activities, breaks, and access to school facilities) was evaluated using a questionnaire. Policies and practice (β: 8.49; 95% CI: 3.62-13.36), supervision committee (5.42; 0.64-10.19), inter-school competitions (2.40, 2.25-2.55), breaks of 15-29 min/day (6.87; 2.20-10.75), and outdoor sports field (5.40; 0.37-10.44), were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity. Furthermore, crossing guards (7.65; 3.00-12.30) were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity. We concluded that an association was found between school environment indicators with higher levels of physical activity and greater odds of meeting physical activity guidelines.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female adolescents in Indonesia: A multi-method study on duration, pattern and context

Background/Objective

Exploring comprehensive information on the duration, pattern and context of physical activity and sedentary behaviour is important to develop effective policies and interventions. Especially in lower- and middle-income countries, our understanding of these health-behaviours is limited. Our study aimed to investigate physical activity and sedentary behaviour of female Indonesian adolescents by using a multi-method approach.

Methods

Female adolescents (n = 5; 13–15 years old) from Yogyakarta, Indonesia wore accelerometers and automated wearable cameras for four days, and completed diaries, and interviews between February and March 2020.

Results

Participants’ activity, especially on non-school days, was dominated by light-intensity physical activity. Four of the 5 participants did not meet the physical activity guidelines. Participants spent a great proportion of time on screen-based sedentary behaviour (school days: 83.2% of wear time; non-school days: 75.7% of wear time). During school days, most physical activity and sedentary behaviour was done at school. Screen time was mainly done on the school day evenings and weekend mornings. Participants mostly used smartphones in the bedroom and living room in a solitary environment. Interviews suggest that the high amount of screen time seemed to be influenced by a lack of awareness of current guidelines, the feeling of urgency to check information, and the lack of parental supervision. Non-screen-based sedentary behaviour comprised just over 10% of total camera images.

Conclusion

The use of a multi-method approach facilitated a rich understanding of the duration, patterns, and contexts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in participants. Future studies might consider using similar methods in a larger sample.