Exploring children\u27s perceptions of barriers and facilitators to physical activity in rural Northwestern Ontario, Canada

Introduction: Low levels of physical activity among children are a significant public health concern in several industrialized nations. The current research body has failed to gather adequate information on various geographic regions. Understanding barriers and facilitators in different rural regions is imperative for creating successful physical activity interventions for children in rural areas. The purpose of this study is to explore rural children\u27s perspectives on physical activity and to discuss barriers or facilitators to physical activity participation in rural Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Methods: Children (n=84) in Grades 4-8 (ages 8-14 years) in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in focus groups to discuss barriers and facilitators to physical activity. Twenty focus groups were conducted in schools. The focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Subthemes were created based on the explicit content of the data and grouped to form broader themes. Results: Three key themes were identified: environment, social environment, and perceptions of safety. Environmental features include weather and the built environment. Social environment includes the role of friends and adults to either facilitate or restrict children\u27s play. The fear of wildlife was pervasive across all focus groups and resulted in restricted independent mobility and physical activity. Conclusion: Rural children are typically under-represented in physical activity research. The findings of this study reveal that rural children experience some barriers to physical activity that are distinct from those of urban children. The findings suggest that researchers need to understand contextual nuances of the rural environment. Specific to the setting of Northwestern Ontario, these rural children could benefit from the addition of a skate park, indoor places to play, and more wildlife education

Understanding factors associated with children achieving recommended amount of MVPA on weekdays and weekend days

Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are consistently reported for children from industrialized countries. Perennially inadequate levels of MVPA have been linked to increased chronic disease risks. Very few studies have compared physical activity levels among children from geographically diverse places, and how they differ on weekdays versus weekends. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that influence whether children achieve 60 min of MVPA on weekdays compared to weekend days. Data were analyzed on children (n = 532) aged 8–14 years from communities in Southern and Northern Ontario, Canada that participated in the study between 2009 and 2016. Children\u27s MVPA was measured using an Actical accelerometer, environmental features measured with a geographic information system, and demographic data came from child/parent surveys. Variables were selected using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The variables were entered into logistic regression models to assess the relationship between children meeting the MVPA guidelines. During the week, boys were more active than girls (OR = 4.652 p \u3c 0.001) and as age increased children were less likely to reach the MVPA guidelines (OR = 0.758 p = 0.013). On weekends boys were still more likely to meet the guidelines (OR = 1.683 p = 0.014) and children living in rural Northern Ontario were more likely to reach the MVPA guidelines compared to all groups in Southern Ontario. The findings indicate that different variables influence whether children meet the MVPA guidelines on weekdays compared to weekends. Comparing weekdays and weekends provides more useful information for creating effective MVPA interventions

Intake of Fruits, Vegetables, and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages among a Sample of Children in Rural Northern Ontario, Canada

There is evidence to suggest that dietary intake of children differs by rural/urban place of residence: rural children may have a higher intake of foods high in fat and sugar than those living in urban environments. The aim of this study was to examine the intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) and the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, among a sample of rural children in Northern Ontario, Canada, in two different seasons. Sociodemographic factors and children’s FV and SSB intake were measured using two repeated cross-sectional surveys, and seasonal information was based on the month of data collection. Logistic regressions were used to examine the odds of children eating five or more FVs, and the odds of ‘frequently or always’ consuming SSBs. During the fall, children reported eating five or more FV more often, when compared to winter (53.9% vs. 48.3%). In the fall, 25.8% of children reported ‘frequently or always’ drinking SSB, compared with 16.9% in winter. Indigenous children were less likely to eat five or more FV (OR 0.34 (95% CI 0.12–0.95)) in the fall when compared to non-Indigenous children. Findings indicate that intake of FV among rural students in this region is low, and the frequency of SSB is high, when compared with national recommendations

Examining factors of accelerometer-measured sedentary time in a sample of rural Canadian children

The aim of this study was to examine potential child-level and day-level factors of accelerometer-measured sedentary time in a sample of rural Canadian children. Children (n = 86) from rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study. Children’s sedentary times were identified and logged using an accelerometer. Child-level data (socio-demographic, household, and environment) came from surveys of children and their parents and a passively logging global positioning unit. Day-level data on day type (weekday/weekend) and weather (temperature, precipitation) were based on the dates of data collection and meteorological data came from the closest Environment Canada weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between child-level and day-level correlates of sedentary time. Boys were less sedentary than girls (b = −30.53 p = 0.01). For each one-year age increase, children’s sedentary time increased (b = 12.79 p \u3c 0.01). This study indicates a difference in sedentary time based on a child’s age and gender. However, family, environmental, and weather characteristics did not influence sedentary time in this sample. Health practitioners who deliver care for northern rural youth can provide targeted health advice regarding sedentary time and consider gender and age to be risk factors for these behaviors

Measuring temporal differences in rural canadian children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity

The purpose of this study was to measure the factors that influence children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school curriculum time, recess time, and outside school time in a rural area. During the Fall and Winter of 2016, 34 boys and 55 girls aged 8–14 years from rural communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in the Spatial Temporal Environment and Activity Monitoring project. The children’s MVPA was measured using an accelerometer, and child-level demographic, behavioral, and environmental data were gathered from surveys, passively logging global positioning units, and municipal datasets. Data on daily temperature and precipitation were gathered from the closest Environment Canada weather station. A mixed model was used to assess the relationship between child-and day-level factors and children’s MVPA. On average, children were getting 12.9 min of MVPA during recess, 17.7 min during curriculum time, and 29.0 min of MVPA outside school time. During all three time points, boys were more active than girls. During curriculum time, children in lower grades were more active, and the weather had differing impacts depending on the time of day. The findings of this study illustrate the differences in MVPA and the factors that influence MVPA by time of day. Examining different time segments provides valuable information for understanding children’s MVPA patterns

Examining weather-related factors on physical activity levels of children from rural communities

Objective: The objective was to examine the influence of weather on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) levels of children aged 8–14 years from rural communities, an understudied Canadian population. Methods: Children (n = 90) from four communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study between September and December 2016. Children’s MVPA and LPA were measured using an Actical accelerometer and demographic data were gathered from surveys of children and their parents. Weather data were collected from the closest weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between weather and children’s MVPA and LPA. Results: Boys accumulated more MVPA than girls (b = 26.38, p \u3c 0.01), children were more active on weekdays as compared with weekends (b = − 16.23, p \u3c 0.01), children were less active on days with precipitation (b = − 22.88, p \u3c 0.01), and higher temperature led to a significant increase in MVPA (b = 1.33, p \u3c 0.01). As children aged, they accumulated less LPA (b = − 9.36, p \u3c 0.01) and children who perceived they had higher levels of physical functioning got more LPA (b = 25.18, p = 0.02). Similar to MVPA, children had higher levels of LPA on weekdays (b = − 37.24, p \u3c 0.01) as compared to weekend days and children accumulated less LPA (b = −50.01, p \u3c 0.01) on days with rain. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that weather influences rural children’s MVPA and LPA. Future research is necessary to incorporate these findings into interventions to increase rural children’s overall PA levels and improve their overall health

Examining weather-related factors on physical activity levels of children from rural communities

Objective: The objective was to examine the influence of weather on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) levels of children aged 8–14 years from rural communities, an understudied Canadian population. Methods: Children (n = 90) from four communities in rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study between September and December 2016. Children’s MVPA and LPA were measured using an Actical accelerometer and demographic data were gathered from surveys of children and their parents. Weather data were collected from the closest weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between weather and children’s MVPA and LPA. Results: Boys accumulated more MVPA than girls (b = 26.38, p \u3c 0.01), children were more active on weekdays as compared with weekends (b = − 16.23, p \u3c 0.01), children were less active on days with precipitation (b = − 22.88, p \u3c 0.01), and higher temperature led to a significant increase in MVPA (b = 1.33, p \u3c 0.01). As children aged, they accumulated less LPA (b = − 9.36, p \u3c 0.01) and children who perceived they had higher levels of physical functioning got more LPA (b = 25.18, p = 0.02). Similar to MVPA, children had higher levels of LPA on weekdays (b = − 37.24, p \u3c 0.01) as compared to weekend days and children accumulated less LPA (b = −50.01, p \u3c 0.01) on days with rain. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that weather influences rural children’s MVPA and LPA. Future research is necessary to incorporate these findings into interventions to increase rural children’s overall PA levels and improve their overall health