Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Activity Behaviors among Elementary Schoolchildren in Multiethnic, Low Income, Inner-City Neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada

doi:10.1016/S1047-2797(99)00030-7

Annals of Epidemiology

Volume 9, Issue 7, October 1999, Pages 397-407

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1047-2797(99)00030-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity and of participation in organized sports at and outside school among elementary schoolchildren in multiethnic, low income, urban neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada.

METHODS: As part of the evaluation of a school-based heart health promotion program, baseline data on physical activity behaviors and potential correlates of these behaviors, were collected from 2285 students aged 9–13 in all 130 grade 4 to 6 classes in 24 inner-city elementary schools from May to June 1993.

RESULTS: One-fifth of boys (20.5%) and 24.4% of girls were inactive; 40.0% and 33.3% of boys and girls respectively, participated in school sports teams; 82.5% and 74.7% participated in organized sports outside school. Declines in activity levels with age were apparent in both genders. Children who participated in organized sports programs at and outside school, those with higher perceived self-efficacy for physical activity, and those with more parental support for engaging in physical activity were more active. Children of Asian family origin were less active. Socioeconomic status was related to participation in organized sports outside school.

CONCLUSIONS: To reach children in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and to prevent age-related declines in activity levels, interventions promoting physical activity should focus on increasing availability and access to community-based organized sports programs at and outside school. Also they should include components to increase parental support and to improve perceived self-efficacy for physical activity.

Introduction

Although few national data are available on consistently measured trends in physical activity (1), there has been concern recently over possibly declining physical activity levels among North American children related to increased leisure time spent watching television (TV) and playing video games 2, 3, 4. The practice of regular physical activity has been associated with more favorable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profiles in children and adolescents including lower blood pressure (5), more favorable serum lipid and lipoprotein levels 6, 7, 8, and decreased adiposity 9, 10, 11. There is good evidence that childhood physical activity levels track into adolescence 12, 13 and adulthood (10), so that inactivity in youth could contribute to a lifelong habit of inactivity. Also, physical inactivity in youth is associated with other health-compromising behaviors including cigarette smoking, lower fruit and vegetable consumption, and more hours spent watching television 10, 13. Declining physical activity levels among youth could have adverse effects on cardiovascular health. Therefore, increased understanding of the evolution and determinants of inactivity among youth is needed to support the development of effective prevention strategies.

As part of the evaluation of a 5-year school-based heart health promotion program, we collected baseline data in May/June 1993 on physical activity behaviors of all students aged 9–13 in grades 4 to 6 in 24 elementary schools located in multiethnic, low income, inner-city neighborhoods in Montreal. This report describes the prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity and of participation in organized sports at and outside school in this population, as measured in the baseline survey.

Section snippets

Methods

The Cœur en santé St-Louis-du-Parc heart health program of interventions, as well as the study design used to evaluate its impact, have been described previously 14, 15, 16, 17. Baseline data were collected from students in two visits to each school. During the first visit, height and weight were measured by interviewers trained according to a standardized protocol (18). Students were then given an envelope containing two self-administered questionnaires for completion by their

Results

Data were collected from 2285 of 2840 eligible students (80.5%); 143 (5.0%) were absent on the day of the in-class questionnaire administration and 411 (14.5%) did not participate because their parents did not provide consent. Data were obtained from 2362 parents, 66.7% of those eligible. Table 1 shows the socio-demographic characteristics of the sample and highlights its low SES and high ethnic diversity. There were 104 countries of birth reported by subjects and their parents.

Table 2 shows

Discussion

This is one of the first large studies on the prevalence and correlates of physical activity behaviors among young children in multiethnic, low income, inner-city neighborhoods in Canada. The proportion of eligible subjects who participated in the study was high—over 80%. The diverse ethnic backgrounds of children in the sample, the large proportion of children born outside Canada, and the large proportion of children living in families with insufficient income suggest that the study included a

Conclusion

This study documents a relatively high prevalence of inactivity among preadolescent children from low income, ethnically diverse, inner-city neighborhoods. The prevalence was higher among girls than boys, and increased with age in both genders. Other correlates of inactivity included no participation in organized sports at or outside school, lower perceived self-efficacy for physical activity, and low parental support for engaging in physical activity. Children of Asian family origin were less

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted as part of the Projet québécois de démonstration en santé du coeur which was funded by the National Health Research and Development Program, Health Canada (grant no. 66053754-H), the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, and the Quebec Heart and Stroke Foundation. Jennifer O'Loughlin is a National Health Research Scholar. Lise Renaud is Chercheur-boursier of the Conseil québécois de la recherche sociale. The authors thank Garbis Meshefedjian and Isabelle

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Original reportsPrevalence and Correlates of Physical Activity Behaviors among Elementary Schoolchildren in Multiethnic, Low Income, Inner-City Neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Prev Med.

Prev Med.

J Pediatr.

Prev Med.

Ann Epidemiol.

Ann Epidemiol.

J Nutr.

J Pediatr.

Prev Med.

Am J Prev Med.

Physical Activity and HealthA Report of the Surgeon General

Do we fatten our children at the television set? Obesity and television viewing in children and adolescents

Pediatrics.

Physical activity and blood pressure in adolescence

Pediatr Exerc Sci.

Relationship of physical activity, body fat, diet and blood lipid profile in youth 10–15 yr

Med Sci Sports Exerc.

The impact of physical activity on lipids, lipoproteins, and blood pressure in preadolescent girls

Pediatr.

Effects of persistent physical activity on coronary risk factors in children and young adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Am J Public Health.

Preschool physical activity level and change in body fatness in young children. The Framingham Children's Study

Am J Epidemiol.

Longitudinal tracking of adolescent smoking, physical activity, and food choice behaviors

Am J Public Health.

Tracking of physical activity in young children

Med Sci Sports Exerc.

Original reports
Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Activity Behaviors among Elementary Schoolchildren in Multiethnic, Low Income, Inner-City Neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada