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

Assessment of measures of physical activity of children with cerebral palsy at home and school: a pilot study

ABSTRACTHome and school are important settings where children can accrue health promoting physical activity (PA). Little&nbsp;is known about the PA levels and associated environmental characteristics at home and school in children with&nbsp;cerebral palsy (CP). An observational tool - Behaviors of Eating and Activity for Children&rsquo;s Health Evaluation System&nbsp;(BEACHES) - offers potential for providing information.Objective: To validate BEACHES against Actigraph accelerometer and to document PA of children with CP at&nbsp;a special residential school facility for children with physical disabilities.Methods: Five children with CP (2 girls, 3 boys; aged 9.82 &plusmn; 2.39 years) in Level I of the Gross Motor Function&nbsp;Classification System (GMFCS) participated. PA monitoring was conducted once a week during four consecutive&nbsp;weeks at morning recess at school and during after school hours at the children&rsquo;s residence. Estimates of time&nbsp;spent being sedentary and being active were derived from the Actigraph and compared to estimates obtained with&nbsp;BEACHES.Results: Children&rsquo;s PA observed using BEACHES was comparable to the Actigraph estimations. In general,&nbsp;children were more active at recess than after school and the physical locations assessed by BEACHES were&nbsp;associated with objectively measured PA time.Conclusion: This pilot study indicates that BEACHES appears to be a suitable measure of PA for children with&nbsp;CP in both home and school settings. Additional study with a larger and more diverse sample is recommended to&nbsp;verify the results.</div

The 7th International Symposium of Asian Society for Adapted Physical Education and Exercise, Hong Kong 2002: disability sport, adapted physical education and physical activity : research to practice

Includes bibliographical references.published_or_final_versionList of contributors ivThe physical and psychological benefits of participation in special Olympics Anna Chan Chan, Anna 12Appdx.B Asian society for adapted physical education and exercise (ASAPE) 159Keynote speechClassification of athletes in paralympic games Eric P. Chien Chien, P., Eric 27PresentationForewordMeasuring physical activity in children with intellectual disability Bik C. Chow Chow, C., Bik 37Twin basketball by persons with severe disability due to Quadriplegia Yumi Tsubouchi, Miho Kasuga, Teruo Akiyama, Masaharu Maeda, and Momoe Yamada Tsubouchi, Yumi Kasuga, Miho Akiyama, Teruo Maeda, Masaharu Yamada, Momoe 93The relationships between body composition and high incidence of glucose intolerance in Paraplegia N. Maeda, M. Murakami, M. Hirayama, J. Katoh Maeda, N. Murakami, M. irayama, M. Katoh, J. 84The qualification and training system for adapted physical activities in North East Asia Man-hway Lin Lin, Man-hway 50A Pilot study of sport participation: motives and goal perspectives of athletes with physical disabilities in Hong Kong Cindy Hui-ping Sit Sit, Hui-ping, Cindy 77Student activity levels and teacher behavior during primary four-to-six-grade physical education lesson for students with mental retardation Oi-yee Ma and Bik C. Chow Ma, Oi-yee Chow, C., Bik 99Identification of physical awkwardness in early childhood in Japan: usefulness of the movement assessment battery for children Takahito Masuda and Atsushi Nanakida Masuda, Takahito Nanakida, Atsushi 109Assessment of functional exercise capacity and exercise training using cycle ergometer in patients with cerebrovascular disorder M. Murakami, J. Katoh, T. Tanizaki, N. Maeda, and H. Furukawa Murakami, M. Katoh, J. Tanizaki, T. Maeda, N. Furukawa, H. 115Pedometric measurement of daily physical activity and oxygen uptake kinetics on exercise endurance with ambulatory post-stroke hemiplegics J. Katoh, H. Ikeda, J. Nakato, T. Yoshii, Y. Nagata, M. Hayakawa, T. Tanizaki Katoh, J. Ikeda, H. Nakato, J. Yoshii, T. Nagata, Y. Hayakawa, M. Tanizaki, T. 121Paralympic sports in Hong Kong: past, present and future Silas T.C. Chiang Chiang, T.C., Silas 60A study of the use of recreational sports during summer vacation for junior high school students with mental retardation at special schools in Kaohsiung Chi-sen Chen and Man-hway Lin Chen, Chi-sen Lin, Man-hway 128Dance activities of children with disabilities Kyoko Terada Terada, Kyoko 90The paralympic movement and adapted physical education York Chow Chow, York 4Preface iiPostural adjustments in individuals with visual impairments Hideo Nakata Nakata, Hideo 19Acknowledgment iiiAppdx.A International federation of adapted physical activity (IFAPA) 157The attitudes of parents of children without disabilities on sport socialization of students with disabilities: cross cultural comparison between Korean parents and American parents Ji-tae Kim Kim, Ji-tae 66Double product during isometric muscle contraction in the elderly Kyu-tae Kim, Kazufumi Takahashi, Seung-wook Choi, and Masahiro Yamasaki Kim, Kyu-tae Takahashi, Kazufumi Choi, Seung-wook Yamasaki, Masahiro 139The effects of water exercise in Korean elderly women Kyung-ok Yi, Hea-ok Lim, Ho-nam Lim, Kee-wha Lee, and Hae-won Han Yi, Kyung-ok Lim, Hea-ok Lim, Ho-nam Lee, Kee-wha Han, Hae-won 151Early childhood gymnastics award scheme Siu-yin Cheung Cheung, Siu-yin 14

Repeatability of self-report measures of physical activity, sedentary and travel behaviour in Hong Kong adolescents for the iHealt(H) and IPEN- adolescent studies

published_or_final_versio

Movement Guidelines for Young Children: Engaging Stakeholders to Design Dissemination Strategies in the Hong Kong Early Childhood Education Context

Background Early childhood is a critical period during which patterns of movement behaviors are formed. The World Health Organization had endorsed guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep over a 24-h time period, which had been adopted by the Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong. This paper reports on stakeholder engagements that were conducted to inform the design of strategies to disseminate the guidelines in early childhood education (ECE) settings. Methods Using a mixed-methods study design, we sought to (a) assess the stakeholders\u27 levels of awareness and knowledge of the Hong Kong movement guidelines for young children and (b) identify the factors that influence the uptake of the said guidelines. We conducted an online survey of early childhood education teachers (N =314), twelve focus groups involving teachers (N = 18) and parents (N = 18), and individual interviews of key informants (N = 7) and domestic workers who provide care for preschool-aged children (N = 7). Descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data using an inductive and semantic approach following a realist framework. Findings Our findings show that teachers were aware of the movement guidelines for young children, but their knowledge of the specific guidelines was deficient; parents and domestic workers had limited awareness and knowledge of the guidelines. Uptake of the movement guidelines is enabled by parent engagement, activities in the ECE centers, home-school cooperation, and community activities for children. The challenges include the time poverty of parents, local curriculum requirements, limited physical spaces, social values, and pandemic-related restrictions. Conclusion We recommend that dissemination strategies in the ECE context should deliver knowledge content and support stakeholders in mitigating the challenges associated with time, space, and social conditions

Evaluation of a School-Based Dissemination of the Movement Guidelines for Young Children in Hong Kong: Study Protocol

Background Healthy movement behaviors in early childhood are believed to track to adulthood, potentially imparting protective benefits against non-communicable diseases. Highlighting the collaborative and complementary roles of parents and educators in promoting health of young children, this study aims to enable parents and teachers to successfully promote healthy movement behaviors in young children. Guidelines for physical activity, sedentary screen time, and sleep of children aged 2 to 6 years will be systematically disseminated to parents and teachers of children enrolled in early childhood education centers (ECECs) in Hong Kong. An evaluation will be conducted to assess the implementation process and the outcomes of the dissemination of said guidelines. Methods The evaluation will include formative and summative components to examine the implementation (i.e., process evaluation) and the outcomes (i.e., outcome evaluation). Participants include teachers, parents, and children from ECECs in Hong Kong. The process evaluation will be guided by the RE-AIM framework (i.e., reach, efficacy, adaptation, implementation, maintenance). Data gathering and analysis will take a mixed-methods triangulation design - convergence model. The outcome evaluation consists of a non-randomized observational study, using quantitative data from questionnaires and accelerometers. The primary outcome to be measured is the extent to which children meet the guidelines for physical activity, sedentary screen time, and sleep; the secondary outcome is teachers’ and parents’ knowledge and awareness of the guidelines. Discussion Young children who engage in healthy movement behaviors are likely to become adults who will have the disposition to engage in behaviors that have protective effects against non-communicable diseases. The findings of this evaluation are expected to contribute to improving the strategies of systems and government agencies that aspire to promote healthy movement behaviors of young children

Role resources and work-family enrichment: The role of work engagement

The majority of work-family research has focused on negative spillover between demands and outcomes and between the work and family domains (e.g., work-family conflict; see review by Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux, & Brinley, 2005). The theory that guided this research was in most cases role stress theory (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985) or the role scarcity hypothesis (Edwards & Rothbard, 2000). However, according to spillover theory, work-related activities and satisfaction also affect non-work performance, and vice versa. Recently, in line with the positive psychology movement (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), work-family interaction research has also included concepts of positive spillover (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008; Grzywacz & Marks, 2000). This emerging focus supplements the dominant conflict perspective by identifying new ways of cultivating human resource strength

Reliable and valid NEWS for Chinese seniors: measuring perceived neighborhood attributes related to walking

Background : The effects of the built environment on walking in seniors have not been studied in an Asian context. To examine these effects, valid and reliable measures are needed. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire of perceived neighborhood characteristics related to walking appropriate for Chinese seniors (Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Chinese Seniors, NEWS-CS). It was based on the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale - Abbreviated (NEWS-A), a validated measure of perceived built environment developed in the USA for adults. A secondary study aim was to establish the generalizability of the NEWS-A to an Asian high-density urban context and a different age group. Methods : A multidisciplinary panel of experts adapted the original NEWS-A to reflect the built environment of Hong Kong and needs of seniors. The translated instrument was pre-tested on a sample of 50 Chinese-speaking senior residents (65+ years). The final version of the NEWS-CS was interviewer-administered to 484 seniors residing in four selected Hong Kong districts varying in walkability and socio-economic status. Ninety-two participants completed the questionnaire on two separate occasions, 2-3 weeks apart. Test-rest reliability indices were estimated for each item and subscale of the NEWS-CS. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop the measurement model of the NEWS-CS and cross-validate that of the NEWS-A. Results : The final version of the NEWS-CS consisted of 14 subscales and four single items (76 items). Test-retest reliability was moderate to good (ICC &gt; 50 or % agreement &gt; 60) except for four items measuring distance to destinations. The originally-proposed measurement models of the NEWS-A and NEWS-CS required 2-3 theoretically-justifiable modifications to fit the data well. Conclusions : The NEWS-CS possesses sufficient levels of reliability and factorial validity to be used for measuring perceived neighborhood environment in Chinese seniors. Further work is needed to assess its construct validity and generalizability to other Asian locations. In general, the measurement model of the original NEWS-A was generalizable to this study context, supporting the feasibility of cross-country and age-group comparisons of the effect of the neighborhood environment on walking using the NEWS-A as a tool to measure the perceived built environment

Main and interacting effects of physical activity and sedentary time on older adults' BMI: The moderating roles of socio-demographic and environmental attributes

Objectives Our first aim was to examine the main and interacting effects of accelerometer-based sedentary time (ST) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with BMI and the likelihood of being overweight/obese in Hong Kong and Ghent (Belgium) older adults. Second, we examined whether these main associations and interactions between MVPA and ST were moderated by socio-demographics (gender, education) and objective neighbourhood attributes supposed to be associated with healthy food intake (food outlet density, neighbourhood-level SES). Finally, we determined whether the associations and interactions were generalisable across study sites. Methods Data from the ALECS (Hong Kong) and BEPAS Seniors studies (Ghent), two comparable observational studies, were used. Older adults (n = 829, 65+) provided self-reported socio-demographic information and objective MVPA and ST data using Actigraph accelerometers. Annual household income data and GIS software were used to assess neighbourhood-level SES and food outlet density. Generalised additive mixed models were conducted in R. Results ST was linearly and positively related to both weight outcomes in the overall sample, while MVPA was not. The overall-sample analyses including the two-way interaction between MVPA and ST showed no interactions between these behaviours on weight outcomes. Three site-specific findings were identified, showing distinct associations in Hong Kong compared to Ghent. Study site moderated the interaction between ST and MVPA on both weight outcomes, the interaction between education and ST on both weight outcomes and the interaction between the number of food outlets and ST on being overweight/obese. Conclusions The country-specific effects confirm the cultural dependency and complexity of the associations between PA, ST and weight outcomes. Future longitudinal international studies including older adults from multiple regions assessing PA, ST, weight outcomes and dietary intake should be encouraged. Such studies are needed to refine the recommendations regarding ST and PA in older adults in light of preventing overweight and obesity

How the perceived neighbourhood environment influences active living in older dwellers of an Asian ultra-dense metropolis

The way older adults perceive their neighbourhood environment may determine their levels of physical activity. We examined the associations of perceived neighbourhood environmental attributes with accelerometry-assessed and self-reported physical activity and sedentary time in Hong Kong Chinese older adults. In doing so, we estimated the inter-relationships among perceived environmental attributes, the mediating role of physical activity in the environment-sedentary time nexus and the moderating role of sex. We used data from the Active Lifestyle and the Environment in Chinese Seniors (ALECS) project collected on older adults (N = 909; ≥65 years) living in neighbourhoods varying in walkability and socio-economic status (71 % response rate). Self-reported physical activity and perceived neighbourhood attributes were assessed with validated questionnaires. Accelerometer-based physical activity and sedentary time were collected in 402 participants. Older adults who perceived their neighbourhood to be walkable, safe, aesthetically pleasing and equipped with public sitting facilities engaged in more physical activity and less sedentary time. Curvilinear relations of perceived residential density and activity-friendly urban design features indicated that extreme levels of density may not be optimal for older adults to adopt an active lifestyle because they do not provide sufficient space for sitting facilities and greenery and do not result in better perceptions of neighbourhood walkability when compared to areas with moderate-to-high levels of density. Creative solutions for the incorporation of greenery and public places for sitting in megacities are needed