Popularity and Friendships and Their Relationship to Physical Activity Before and After Transition to a Higher School Grade

Background This study investigated the relationships between children’s friendship ties and their physical activity (PA) both before and after their transition to a new school year. Methods In 2011–2012, children in grades 5–8 attending a Canadian urban middle-school completed web-based health and friendship surveys two times before (“pre-transition”) and three times after (“post-transition”) they moved up in school grade. Cross-sectional associations between an average daily frequency of ≥60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) and characteristics of children’s friendships were estimated for pre-transition (n = 191) and post-transition (n = 255) data. Sociodemographic-adjusted linear regression (β) estimated associations between a child’s MVPA and friendship characteristics. Results We found positive associations between a child’s MVPA and the average MVPA of their friends at post-transition only (β = 0.61, 95% CI 0.10 to 1.13) and the number of sent friendships at pre-transition (β = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.05) and post-transition (β = 0.02, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.04). A statistically significant interaction between popularity and friends’ average PA at pre-transition was also found. Conclusions The PA of friends and the number of school friends that a child identified are positively associated with MVPA. The estimated associations between MVPA and aspects of children’s friendships are similar for boys and girls

Changes in Peer Friendships and Physical Activity among Children across School-Grade Transition

Children’s physical activity (PA) may be affected by transitioning school grade; however, limited evidence exists on the associations between aspects of children’s peer friendships and their PA over the transition to a new school year. This thesis addressed this gap by examining whether or not associations between children’s peer friendships; including, popularity, number of sent friendship nominations, and friend’s average PA were associated with individual PA pre-, post- and over the transition to a higher school grade. We found that sent friendships and friends’ average PA were positively associated with an individual’s PA pre- and post-transition, and that changes in friendships did not directly correspond with PA changes over the transition. We did not identify differences according to sex. Future studies should employ social network analysis and longitudinal study designs to further examine these relationships. School-based interventions that promote friendly interactions among peers while simultaneously increasing PA are recommended

Driving, Physical Activity, and Weight Status

Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2012, 9 (3): 352-359, https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.9.3.352. © Human Kinetics, Inc.Background: Evidence regarding the relative contributions of physical activity (PA) and driving behavior on weight status is limited. This study examined the associations between driving and PA behavior and weight status among Canadian adults. Methods: A random cross-section of Calgarian adults (n = 1026) completed a telephone-interview and a self-administered questionnaire. Weekly physical activity time, daily driving time, BMI, motor vehicle access, and demographic characteristics were captured. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations between driving minutes (0-209, 219-419, 420-839, 840-1679, and ≥ 1680 min/week), motor vehicle access, sufficient PA (210 min/week of moderate-intensity PA or 90 min/week of vigorous-intensity PA), and the likelihood of being 1) overweight/obese vs. healthy weight and 2) obese only vs. healthy/overweight. Results: Compared with driving ≤ 209 min/week, driving 840 to 1679 min/week significantly (P < .05) increased the likelihood of being overweight/obese (OR 2.08). Insufficient PA was positively associated with being overweight/obese (OR 1.43). Each hour/week of driving was associated with a 1.6% reduction in the odds of achieving sufficient PA. A 3-fold increase (OR 3.73) in the likelihood of overweight was found among insufficiently active individuals who drove 210 to 419 min/week compared with sufficiently active individuals who drove ≤ 209 min/week. Conclusion: Interventions that decrease driving time and increase PA participation may be important for reducing weight among Canadian adults.Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR

Changes in visitor profiles and activity patterns following dog supportive modifications to parks: A natural experiment on the health impact of an urban policy

Urban parks are important settings for physical activity, but few natural experiments have investigated the influences of park modifications on activity patterns and visitor profiles.We assessed the impact of implementing a municipal policy on off-leash dogs in city parks in Calgary (Alberta, Canada). Systematic observation undertaken in 2011 and 2012 within four parks captured patterns of use, activities, and visitors׳ characteristics. After baseline data collection, off-leash areas were created in two parks only. We compared changes in the sociodemographic and activity profiles in all parks between 2011 and 2012. Visitors with dogs participated in less intense activity relative to visitors without dogs. In both modified parks, the intensity of children׳s activities decreased, while the intensity of adults’ activities remained stable. Adjusting for visitor characteristics, the likelihood of dog-related visits, relative to other activities, significantly decreased in one of the two modified parks (odds ratio 0.55, p<.05). Accommodating off-leash dogs in parks has the potential to modify activities undertaken inside parks as well as the profile of visitors, but may not increase park visits among dog-walkers in the short term. Recreation, park, and urban planners and policy-makers need to consider the needs and preferences of the broader community in the design and redesign of public parks. Keywords: Natural experiment, Park, Dog walking, Physical activity, Built environmen