Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria, 3125, Australia.
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010 Feb 2;7:11. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-7-11.
Children's unstructured outdoor free-play (or active free-play) has the potential to make an important contribution to children's overall physical activity levels. Limited research has, however, examined physical activity in this domain. This study examined associations between individual, social and physical environmental factors and the frequency with which children play in particular outdoor locations outside school hours. This study also investigated whether the frequency of playing in outdoor locations was associated with children's overall physical activity levels.
Participants including 8-9 year old children and their parents (n = 187) were recruited from a selection of primary schools of varying socioeconomic status across metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Parents completed a survey and children's overall physical activity levels were measured by accelerometry. Regression models examined the odds of children playing in various outdoor settings according to particular correlates.
Inverse associations were found between preference for activities not involving physical activity, and the likelihood of children playing in the yard at home on the weekend (OR = 0.65; CI = 0.45,0.95). Positive correlates of children playing in their own street included: parental perceptions that it was safe for their child to play in their street (weekdays [OR = 6.46; CI = 2.84,14.71], weekend days [OR = 6.01; CI = 2.68,13.47]); children having many friends in their neighbourhood (OR = 2.63; CI = 1.21,5.76); and living in a cul-de-sac (weekdays [OR = 3.99; CI = 1.65,9.66], weekend days [OR = 3.49; CI = 1.49,8.16]). Positive correlates of more frequent play in the park/playground on weekdays included family going to the park together on a weekly basis on weekdays (OR = 6.8; CI = 3.4,13.6); and on weekend days (OR = 7.36; CI = 3.6,15.0). No differences in mean mins/day of moderate-vigorous physical activity were found between children in the highest and lowest tertiles for frequency of playing in particular outdoor locations.
The presence of friends, safety issues and aspects of the built environment were reported by parents to be associated with children's active free-play in outdoor locations. Future research needs to further examine associations with time spent in active free-play and objectively-measured overall physical activity levels. It is also important to investigate strategies for developing a supportive social and physical environment that provides opportunities for children to engage in active free-play.
儿童非结构化的户外自由游戏（或主动自由游戏）有可能对儿童的整体身体活动水平做出重要贡献。然而，有限的研究已经检查了这个领域的身体活动。本研究调查了个人、社会和物理环境因素与儿童在非学校时间在特定户外场所玩耍的频率之间的关系。本研究还调查了在户外场所玩耍的频率是否与儿童的整体身体活动水平有关。
参与者包括来自澳大利亚墨尔本大都市不同社会经济地位的一系列小学的 8-9 岁儿童及其父母（n=187）。父母完成了一项调查，儿童的整体身体活动水平通过加速度计进行测量。回归模型根据特定相关性，检查了儿童在各种户外环境中玩耍的可能性。
发现儿童对不涉及身体活动的活动的偏好与周末在家在院子里玩耍的可能性呈负相关（OR=0.65；CI=0.45,0.95）。儿童在自己的街道上玩耍的正相关因素包括：父母认为孩子在自己的街道上玩耍是安全的（平日[OR=6.46；CI=2.84,14.71]，周末[OR=6.01；CI=2.68,13.47]）；孩子在邻里中有很多朋友（OR=2.63；CI=1.21,5.76）；以及住在死胡同（平日[OR=3.99；CI=1.65,9.66]，周末[OR=3.49；CI=1.49,8.16]）。平日在公园/游乐场更频繁玩耍的正相关因素包括每周日和家人一起去公园（OR=6.8；CI=3.4,13.6）；和周末（OR=7.36；CI=3.6,15.0）。在户外特定地点玩耍频率最高和最低三分位的儿童之间，中度至剧烈体力活动的平均分钟/天没有差异。
父母报告说，朋友的存在、安全问题和建筑环境的各个方面与儿童在户外自由活动中的积极自由游戏有关。未来的研究需要进一步检查与积极自由游戏时间和客观测量的整体身体活动水平之间的关联。此外，重要的是要研究制定支持性社会和物理环境的策略，为儿童提供参与积极自由游戏的机会。
