New research from Finland points to preventive exercises as an effective means to tackle the challenges children face when learning to read.
Archive for category Physical Activity
Neighborhood physical and social environmental factors are significantly associated with walking at recommended levels. This is based on California survey data from 2003.
415 preschool boys and 368 girls in Belgium were observed and wore pedometers during recess. Boys took significantly more steps per minute than girls (65 versus 54 steps/min). In both genders higher step counts per minute were significantly associated with less children per m2 and with shorter recess times. In girls higher step counts were associated with the presence of less supervising teachers. Playground markings, access to toys, the number of playing or aiming equipment pieces and the presence of vegetation or height differences were not significant physical activity predictors in both genders.
Physical activity of 64 preschoolers in Salt Lake Cityaged aged 3-5 years was measured by accelerometry for 5 pre-intervention and 5 post-intervention days during outdoor play. The activity-friendly equipment significantly decreased sedentary behavior and significantly increased light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity.
Schoolyards in Boston will be renovated to Create Active Learning Opportunities.
The purpose of this Canadian study was to examine how healthy weight status among youth was related to distance to the closest park from home, and the availability of 13 specific park facilities within 1 km of the home. Results suggest that availability of certain park facilities may play a more important role in promoting physical activity and healthy weight status among children than availability of park space in general.Implications for park design are discussed.
New Orleans researchers observed children in 2nd through 8th grades over 2 years to understand of how children use play equipment. Children were 3 to 13 times more likely to play in areas with more installed play equipment, with than in an open grassy field. Children were more likely to be very active in areas with basketball goals or an installed play structure than in an open field.
90 and still going strong
Aug 19
2,262 Danish adults born in 1905 were followed until they reached 100. Extreme age didn’t bring extreme disability. But the elders did have a slight decline in their ability to perform routine activities, grip strength, and other measures.
Kun hver sjette af os lever op til samtlige officielle anbefalinger fra Sundhedsstyrelsen, der handler om at undgå rygning, drikke med mådehold, spise sundt og dyrke motion.
87% of 190 recently discharged UK adult hospital patients agreed that “hospital is a good place for patients to receive” health education. But only a third reported receiving health education about smoking, alcohol use, diet, physical activity, and weight. Is hospitals a good arena for health education – maybe not.