Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Población, Faculty of Architecture, University of CuencaDepartamento de Espacio Y , Cuenca, Ecuador.
J Sports Sci. 2022 Jul;40(13):1476-1485. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2086521. Epub 2022 Jun 15.
To increase physical activity levels in children, knowledge on how school playgrounds can be optimally designed is important. Until now, the contribution of playground variety and greening to children's physical activity level during recess remains unclear. This study examined the associations of school playground variety and greening with energy expenditure (EE) in elementary school children in Ecuador and Belgium. Additionally, moderating effects of study site and gender were studied. Observational data were collected using SOPLAY in ten schools in East Flanders (Belgium) and Cuenca (Ecuador). Data were analysed with linear mixed-effects model analyses. Results showed that independent of study site, EE was higher in playground areas with less green elements, and a higher level of total variety. Primary surface was only associated with EE in boys, they were more active when an artificial surface was present. Implementation of loose equipment was somewhat more strongly positively associated with EE in Ecuadorian than in Belgian children. Because of the well-known restorative effects of green elements, we do not wish to suggest that less greening should be implemented at schools. However, ideally green spaces should be designed in a way that active play is stimulated by combining green elements with other improvements.
为了提高儿童的身体活动水平，了解如何优化学校操场的设计非常重要。到目前为止，操场上的多样性和绿化程度对课间休息时儿童身体活动水平的影响仍不清楚。本研究调查了厄瓜多尔和比利时的小学中，学校操场的多样性和绿化程度与能量消耗（EE）之间的关系。此外，还研究了研究地点和性别差异的调节作用。在东佛兰德（比利时）和昆卡（厄瓜多尔）的十所学校中，使用 SOPLAY 收集了观察数据。使用线性混合效应模型分析对数据进行了分析。结果表明，无论研究地点如何，绿化元素较少且整体多样性水平较高的操场区域的 EE 更高。在男孩中，主要表面与 EE 相关，当存在人工表面时，他们更活跃。在厄瓜多尔儿童中，松散设备的实施与 EE 的正相关性比在比利时儿童中更强。由于绿色元素具有众所周知的恢复效果，我们并不希望建议在学校减少绿化。然而，理想情况下，应通过将绿色元素与其他改进相结合来设计绿色空间，以刺激积极的游戏。
