Reducing Children’s Classroom Sitting Time Using Sit-to-Stand Desks: A Pilot Study

Publication Summary

physical activity (PA) policy and environmental interventions on the PA among predominately African-American children living in the inner city. We hypothesized that following 3 years of exposure to these PA interventions that transportation and recreational PA levels among children residing in the GHTC communities would increase from 2011 baseline measures compared with follow-up measures repeated in 2014. METHODS: Using the System for Observing Physical Activity and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) we examined pedestrian/bike routes/trails and recreational park areas within the boundaries of the GHTC communities to assess transport, sports, and recreational PA of children. SOPARC data were collected fall/spring 2010/2011 and then repeated in spring 2014 in each of 8 settings in the GHTC communities during 3 1-h observation periods during 5 days of clement weather. Observations were made during week days in each setting (i.e., Monday through Friday). RESULTS: The SOPARC assessments of the pedestrian/bike routes/trails, and recreational space in GHTC communities yielded a total of 692 child/youth observations in 2011 while repeat measures in 2014 yielded 806 child/youth observations. Children/youth observed in 2014 were four times the odds to engage in moderate/vigorous PA compared to their 2011 counterparts (OR = 4.2, 95% CL, 2.13, 8.5; Mantel-Haenszel Chi Square = 19.36; P< 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings support the hypothesis that policy and environmental interventions targeting enhanced infrastructure, signage, and use policies support the likelihood of increased PA levels among children exposed to such interventions over ~ 3 year period. This comparative difference was most remarkable when examining the SOPARC assessment differences along the transport path/sidewalk routes and open recreational space. These results provide evidence that access to ‘urban’ pedestrian/bicycle routes/trails appears to translate into increased opportunities for PA among inner city children/youth.