Increasing children's volume of physical activity through walk and play

Abstract

This document looks at the contribution of walking and playing outside the home to children’s volume of physical activity. The document draws on research carried out at University College London (UCL) in which 200 children were fitted with three-dimensional motion sensors and asked to keep travel and activity diaries over a period of four days. From these it is possible to establish what the children did, how they travelled and how much energy they used. Using these data, the contributions of unstructured out-of-home events (playing) and walking to children’s volume of physical activity are demonstrated. It is also shown that these unstructured events tend to be associated with walking rather than use of the car, unlike structured out-of-home events. It is also shown that children who walk to events tend to be more active when they arrive than those who travel by car. The effect of an initiative to promote walking is considered. Conclusions are drawn about the need to remove various barriers to enable children to spend more time out of the home where they will be more active and so lead healthier lives, and the value of facilitating opportunities for walking