Centre for Exercise, Nutrition & Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011 Mar 7;8:15. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-8-15.
Preventing the decline in physical activity which occurs around 10-11 years of age is a public health priority. Physically active play can make unique contributions to children's development which cannot be obtained from more structured forms of physical activity. Encouraging active play in children's leisure time has potential to increase physical activity levels while promoting optimal child development. Aspired wisdom states that contemporary British children no longer play outdoors, but systematic evidence for this is lacking. We need to build a more informed picture of contemporary children's play before we consider interventions to increase it.
Eleven focus groups were conducted with 77, 10-11 year old children from four primary schools in Bristol, UK. Focus groups examined: 1) children's perceptions of 'play'; 2) how much of their play is active play; and 3) contexts of children's active play. All focus groups were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using a thematic approach.
Children's perceptions of play were broad and included both physically active and sedentary behaviours. Children reported that they frequently engaged in active play and valued both the physical and social benefits it provided. Whereas boys frequently reported having a 'kick about' or riding bikes as their preferred forms of active play, girls were less likely to report a specific activity. Additionally, boys reported greater independent mobility in their active play compared to girls. Finally, boys were more likely to report playing with neighbourhood friends but girls more frequently reported playing with family members.
Promoting active play in children's leisure time may increase the physical activity of children, but interventions may need to be tailored according to gender.
预防 10-11 岁左右发生的体力活动下降是公共卫生的重点。积极的游戏活动可以为儿童的发展做出独特的贡献，而这些贡献是无法通过更有组织的体育活动获得的。鼓励儿童在闲暇时间进行积极游戏，有潜力提高他们的体力活动水平，同时促进儿童的最佳发展。有观点认为，现代英国儿童不再在户外玩耍，但缺乏系统的证据来支持这一观点。在考虑增加户外活动的干预措施之前，我们需要更全面地了解当代儿童的游戏情况。
在英国布里斯托尔的四所小学中，对 11 个焦点小组进行了 77 名 10-11 岁儿童的调查。焦点小组考察了：1）儿童对“游戏”的看法；2）他们有多少游戏是积极的；3）儿童积极游戏的背景。所有的焦点小组都进行了录音，并逐字逐句地转录下来。使用主题分析方法对数据进行了分析。
儿童对游戏的看法很广泛，包括体力活动和久坐行为。孩子们报告说，他们经常进行积极的游戏，重视其提供的身体和社交益处。男孩们经常报告说，他们最喜欢的积极游戏形式是踢足球或骑自行车，而女孩们则不太可能报告具体的活动。此外，男孩们在积极游戏中的独立行动能力比女孩们更强。最后，男孩们更有可能与邻居朋友一起玩耍，而女孩们更经常与家人一起玩耍。
在儿童闲暇时间促进积极游戏可能会增加儿童的体力活动，但干预措施可能需要根据性别进行调整。
