While most health promotion interventions in children focus on the school setting, evidence suggests that children are less active and have greater access to energy-dense foods outside of school. This novel study aimed to develop and test an applied homework programme that requires children to be active and eat well at home.
Improving the quality of permanent play facilities in schools may offer an innovative, cost-effective, long-term solution for promoting healthy behaviours in children. The aim of this collaborative study was to determine if increasing the number of permanent play facilities in primary schools increases physical activity and reduces the rate of excessive weight gain.
This study was part of a longitudinal birth cohort and involved the measurement of physical activity in Pacific Island children and their mothers. Relationships between physical activity and health and wellbeing variables were also examined.
This study was one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. The study was located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighbourhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density.
Participants comprised children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers.
Objective measures (GPS, accelerometers, GIS, observational audits) were used to assess children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighbourhood infrastructure and streetscape attributes. Parents' and children's neighbourhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods and go-along interviews.
For more information, see: doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-587