Direct observation of children’s preferences and activity levels during interactive and on-line electronic games

BACKGROUND: Interactive electronic games have recently been popularized and are believed to help promote children's physical activity (PA). The purpose of the study was to examine preferences and PA levels during interactive and online electronic games among overweight and nonoverweight boys and girls. METHODS: Using a modification of the SOFIT, we systematically observed 70 Hong Kong Chinese children (35 boys, 35 girls; 50 nonoverweight, 20 overweight), age 9 to 12 years, during 2 60-minute recreation sessions and recorded their game mode choices and PA levels. During Session One children could play either an interactive or an online electronic bowling game and during Session Two they could play an interactive or an online electronic running game. RESULTS: Children chose to play the games during 94% of session time and split this time between interactive (52%) and online (48%) versions. They engaged in significantly more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during interactive games than their online electronic versions (70% vs. 2% of game time). Boys and nonoverweight children expended relatively more energy during the interactive games than girls and overweight children, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: New-generation interactive games can facilitate physical activity in children, and given the opportunity children may select them over sedentary versions.published_or_final_versio

Children’s use of electronic games: Choices of game mode and challenge levels

Introduction. Interactive electronic games are popular and are believed to contribute to physical activity accrual. The purpose of this study was to examine children's electronic game use during conditions in which they had free access to selecting interactive and seated screen-based versions of electronic games and during the interactive versions had free choice in making adjustments to the activity intensity. Methods. We systematically observed 60 Hong Kong primary school children during two 60-minute game sessions while simultaneously recording their game mode choices and physical activity levels using SOFIT (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time). Results. When given free choice, children spent more than half of their available time participating in interactive versions of games. These versions of games provided significantly more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and greater energy expenditure than the computer screen versions. Children with the opportunity to modify intensity levels spent more time playing the interactive versions and accrued more physical activity. Conclusions. The tenets of behavioral choice theory were supported. Access to new-generation interactive games, particularly those with modifiable intensity levels, may facilitate children's participation in physical activity.published_or_final_versio

Process-oriented evaluation of fundamental movement skills in children with cerebral palsy

Symposium IIIpostprintThe 3rd HKASMSS Student Conference on Sport Medicine, Rehabilitation and Exercise Science, Hong Kong, 19 June 2010. In Conference Proceedings, 2010, p. 30-3

Motivational orientations in youth sport participation: Using Achievement Goal Theory and Reversal Theory

The purpose of this study was to examine motivational orientations of youth (N=1235) towards sport participation by using Achievement Goal Theory (AGT; Nicholls, 1989) and Reversal Theory (RT; Apter, 1989). Both theories are useful for determining how individuals varying in motivational orientations differ in their participation motives in the sport context. AGT postulates that individuals have task and ego orientations whereas RT assumes that individuals have eight orientations (telic, paratelic, conformist, negativistic, autic, alloic, mastery, and sympathy). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated overall good fit of seven underlying sport motive structures derived from the 30-item Participation Motivation Inventory (Gill, Gross, & Huddleston, 1983). Subsequent canonical correlation analyses generally indicated a close relationship between motivational orientations and sport participation motives congruent with theoretical predictions in both AGT and RT. It was also found that task and ego orientations in AGT were linked with specific motivational orientations in RT. The results suggest that the two theories have similar motivational orientation constructs, more articulated in RT, which may be useful in examining what motivates youth to participate in physical activities and sport. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.postprin

The possible benefits of reduced errors in the motor skills acquisition of children

An implicit approach to motor learning suggests that relatively complex movement skills may be better acquired in environments that constrain errors during the initial stages of practice. This current concept paper proposes that reducing the number of errors committed during motor learning leads to stable performance when attention demands are increased by concurrent cognitive tasks. While it appears that this approach to practice may be beneficial for motor learning, further studies are needed to both confirm this advantage and better understand the underlying mechanisms. An approach involving error minimization during early learning may have important applications in paediatric rehabilitation. © 2012 Capio et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Recreational destinations and leisure-time physical activity in Chinese urban elders

Conference Theme: Promoting Healthy Eating and Activity WorldwideSession - S36 The relationships between the physical environment and physical activity in older adults: results from four different continents: abstract S36.4PURPOSE: The built environment may impact on elders’ ability to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Environmental correlates of LTPA in Chinese older residents of ultra-dense cities are unknown. The main aim of this study was to examine associations of objectively-measured recreational facilities in the neighborhood with LTPA (walking and other forms of activity) in Chinese elders residing in an ultra-dense city. We also examined whether these associations depend on other environmental factors. METHOD: This study was conducted in Hong Kong in …postprin

Associations between the neighbourhood environment characteristics and physical activity in older adults with specific types of chronic conditions: The ALECS cross-sectional study

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Reliability and validity of the IPAQ-L in a sample of Hong Kong Urban older adults: does neighborhood of residence matter?

This study examined reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Long Form (IPAQ-LC) in Chinese seniors, including moderating effects of neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status (SES) on reliability and validity. The IPAQ-LC was interviewer-administered (n = 96), accelerometer and 7-day walk-diary data were collected (n = 94), and the IPAC-LC was readministered (N = 92). Acceptable reliability was found for all measures of physical activity (PA) overall and across different types of neighborhood. Participants from highly walkable neighborhoods were more reliable at estimating walking for transport. Participants from low-SES areas were less reliable at estimating leisure-time PA and sitting but more reliable at estimating transport-related walking. IPAQ-LC walking was significantly related to light- but not moderate-intensity accelerometry-based PA. It was moderately to strongly related to a 7-day diary of walking. The data imply slow-paced walking, probably due to age, climate, and terrain. The findings suggest that the IPAQ-LC’s reliability and validity are acceptable in Chinese seniors

Neighbourhood environment, physical activity, quality of life and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong older adults: A protocol for an observational study

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Effects of alpha-lactalbumin or whey protein isolate on muscle damage, muscle pain, and mood states following prolonged strenuous endurance exercise

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