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Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting
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Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 18104

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alberto Grao-Cruces

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
GALENO research group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cadiz, Puerto Real, Spain. Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cadiz (INiBICA), Research Unit, Cadiz, Spain.
Interests: physical activity; physical education; physical fitness; sedentary behaviors; lifestyle
Dr. Rocio Izquierdo-Gomez

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
GALENO research group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cadiz, Puerto Real, Spain. Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cadiz (INiBICA), Research Unit, Cadiz, Spain
Interests: physical activity; sedentary behavior; physical fitness; adolescents; intellectual disability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle in children and adolescents are recognized as critical risk factors that decrease the well-being and increase the probability of suffering chronic diseases. Moreover, physical activity is the most effective behavior to improve health-related physical fitness. However, about three quarters of children and adolescents worldwide do not meet the daily physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization.

Schools have been identified as an ideal setting for physical activity and well-being promotion, because children and adolescents spend a large proportion of their waking hours in them. During this time, students can be exposed to supportive environments, such as school health interventions and physical education, and most of their knowledge, skills, and habits for life-long health could be enhanced. However, the question of whether all schools are exploiting their potential to promote students’ physical activity and well-being has been posed. It has even been suggested that certain teaching attitudes could decrease the motivation toward physical activity and sadden children and adolescents.

This Special Issue welcomes original manuscripts (quantitative or qualitative), reviews, and meta-analysis studies related to physical activity and well-being with practical implications for primary, secondary, and special education schools. Its scope includes but is not limited to the following topics:

  • The effectiveness and sustainability of school-based interventions to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and reduce sedentary time;
  • The association between physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and health-related fitness and educational outcomes and well-being;
  • The identification of barriers, facilitators, and determinant factors from physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and health-related fitness in students with and without disabilities;
  • The assessment of physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns during school hours;
  • The learning–teaching process and students’ motivation in physical education lessons related with health contents;
  • Diversity and inclusion in physical education lessons.

Dr. Alberto Grao-Cruces
Dr. Rocio Izquierdo-Gomez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • active commuting
  • academic performance
  • disabilities
  • health outcomes
  • motivation
  • physically active lessons
  • physical education
  • physical fitness
  • sedentary behaviors
  • youth

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 387 KiB  
Article
School-Based Physical Activity Intervention: A Qualitative Process Evaluation of a Feasibility Trial in Yangzhou, China
by Haiquan Wang, Yanxing Zhou, Holly Blake and Kaushik Chattopadhyay
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19021021 - 17 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3927
Abstract
Background: There is an urgent need for children in China to increase their physical activity levels. We first developed a 16-week school-based behavior change intervention based on the Behavior Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework. We then conducted a cluster feasibility non-randomized controlled [...] Read more.
Background: There is an urgent need for children in China to increase their physical activity levels. We first developed a 16-week school-based behavior change intervention based on the Behavior Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework. We then conducted a cluster feasibility non-randomized controlled trial (RCT) among children in Yangzhou, China. Aim: This qualitative process evaluation was embedded within the cluster feasibility non-RCT and aimed to: (1) explore the experiences and perceptions of participants and providers in the intervention and trial; and (2) generate recommendations to inform a future intervention and full-scale cluster RCT. Methods: A qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews with trial participants (n = 20 children: 10 intervention, 10 control), parents (n = 20), and health education providers (n = 2), was conducted in two public schools in Yangzhou, China. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated verbatim from Mandarin to English. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings believed to reflect experiences and perceptions of participants in the intervention and the trial are presented as eight major themes: (1) perceived high efficacy of the intervention components to help children become more active, (2) appreciation of the intervention features, (3) factors that facilitated or impeded intervention attendance and delivery, (4) positive experiences and feelings gained through the data collection process, (5) satisfaction regarding the organization and implementation of the trial, (6) influences of personal beliefs and emotional responses to the trial, (7) social influences on participatory decision-making, and (8) key barriers to consider regarding the recruitment of participants. Conclusions: The intervention and trial methods were acceptable to children, parents, and health education providers. School-based behavior change intervention was perceived to be a useful approach to increase physical activity in children aged 10–12 years in China. However, there were barriers to intervention delivery and engagement that should be considered when designing a future cluster RCT to assess the intervention efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting)
13 pages, 1475 KiB  
Article
Patterns of Active Commuting to School in Spanish Preschool Children and Its Associations with Socio-Economic Factors: The PREFIT Project
by Manuel Herrador-Colmenero, Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez, Idoia Labayen, Adrià Muntaner-Mas, Diego Moliner-Urdiales, Gabriel Lozano-Berges, Pedro J. Benito, Manuel A. Rodríguez-Pérez, Álvaro Delgado-Alfonso, Joaquín Sanchís-Moysi, Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno and Palma Chillón
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11180; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111180 - 25 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2916
Abstract
The aims of this study were to describe patterns of active commuting to school (ACS) of preschool children, and to analyse the relationship between ACS and family socio-economic factors. A total of 2636 families of preschoolers (3-to-5 years old) were asked to complete [...] Read more.
The aims of this study were to describe patterns of active commuting to school (ACS) of preschool children, and to analyse the relationship between ACS and family socio-economic factors. A total of 2636 families of preschoolers (3-to-5 years old) were asked to complete a questionnaire at home about the mode of commuting to school of their children and marital status, educational level, and profession of both father and mother. Chi-square analyses were applied to compare ACS between school grades and gender of the children. To analyse the association of ACS with socio-economic factors, logistic regression analyses were performed. Almost 50% of participants reported ACS of their offspring, with a higher rate in 3rd preprimary grade (5 years old) than in 1st and 2nd preprimary grades (3- and 4-years old. All, p < 0.05). Those preschool children who had parents with lower educational level and no managerial work had higher odds to ACS than those who had parents with higher educational level and managerial work (all, p ≤ 0.001). Around half of the Spanish preschool children included in this study commuted actively to school and families with lower educational levels or worse employment situation were related to active commuting to school. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting)
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9 pages, 349 KiB  
Article
Active Transportation to School. Utopia or a Strategy for a Healthy Life in Adolescence
by Nuno Loureiro, Adilson Marques, Vânia Loureiro and Margarida Gaspar de Matos
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4503; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094503 - 23 Apr 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2667
Abstract
The way adolescents travel to school can be an important contribution to achieving their daily physical activity recommendations. The main objective of this research is to know which variables are associated with the mode of transportation used to and from school by Portuguese [...] Read more.
The way adolescents travel to school can be an important contribution to achieving their daily physical activity recommendations. The main objective of this research is to know which variables are associated with the mode of transportation used to and from school by Portuguese adolescents. The 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children questionnaire was applied to 5695 adolescents with an average age of 15.5 (SD ± 1.8), 53.9% of whom were female. The associations were studied by applying χ2 tests and multivariate logistic regression models. In this study, 36.5% of the participants reported walking or cycling to school. Active transportation to school is associated with age (OR = 1.3; p < 0.05), sufficient physical activity (OR = 1.2; p < 0.05), adequate number of hours of sleep (OR = 1.2; p < 0.05), perception of happiness (OR = 1.2; p < 0.05) and living near the school (OR = 2.4; p < 0.05). The results revealed that adolescents’ choice to travel to/from school using an active mode of transportation increased with age, physical activity, hours of sleep, perception of happiness, and living near the school. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting)
11 pages, 387 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Spanish Children
by Manuel Ávila-García, María Esojo-Rivas, Emilio Villa-González, Pablo Tercedor and Francisco Javier Huertas-Delgado
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2702; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052702 - 8 Mar 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3721
Abstract
Higher sedentary time and lower physical activity (PA) are associated with a poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children. The aims of this study were: (1) to analyze the sedentary time, objectively measured PA levels (light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [...] Read more.
Higher sedentary time and lower physical activity (PA) are associated with a poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children. The aims of this study were: (1) to analyze the sedentary time, objectively measured PA levels (light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)), and HRQoL dimensions (physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem, family, friends, school, and total score) in children; and (2) to examine the association between sedentary time, PA levels, and HRQoL in children separately by sex. A total of 459 children (8.4 ± 0.4 years old, 50.54% males) from 15 schools in Granada (Spain) participated in the study. A tri-axial accelerometer was used to measure PA levels in the children for 7 consecutive days. The Revidierter KINDer Lebensqualitätsfragebogen (KINDL-R) questionnaire was used to determine the children’s HRQoL dimensions. The results showed that males presented more minutes engaged in MVPA than females. Both sedentary time and PA levels were associated with self-esteem and total score (all p < 0.05). In males, moderate and vigorous PA levels were associated with higher HRQoL, whereas light PA was associated with higher HRQoL in females. Future studies should take into account the use of activities with difference intensities in order to increase HRQoL in males and females. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting)
12 pages, 474 KiB  
Article
Associations between Weight Status and Situational Motivation toward Fitness Testing in Physical Education: The Mediator Role of Physical Fitness
by Alberto Grao-Cruces, Alejandro Racero-García, David Sánchez-Oliva, David Blanco-Luengo, Alberto Nuviala and Tomás García-Calvo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(13), 4821; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134821 - 4 Jul 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3812
Abstract
Background: This article examines the differences in situational motivation toward fitness testing in physical education classes between non-overweight and overweight students, as well as the mediator effect of objective and perceived physical fitness on the relationship between weight status and motivation toward fitness [...] Read more.
Background: This article examines the differences in situational motivation toward fitness testing in physical education classes between non-overweight and overweight students, as well as the mediator effect of objective and perceived physical fitness on the relationship between weight status and motivation toward fitness testing. Methods: A total of 534 adolescents (298 boys, 55.80%) participated in the study. Perceived physical fitness and situational motivation toward fitness testing were measured through questionnaires, whereas weight status and physical fitness were objectively measured. Results: Overweight students had lower intrinsic motivation (p < 0.001), and higher external regulation (p < 0.01) and amotivation (p < 0.05) during fitness testing in a physical education class than their non-overweight peers. The influence of being overweight on motivation regulations toward fitness testing was mediated by objective physical fitness level for intrinsic motivation (B = −0.140), external regulation (B = 0.104) and amotivation (B = 0.146). Perceived physical fitness was also used as a second mediator between weight status and intrinsic motivation (B = −0.117). Conclusions: Strategies to improve objective and perceived physical fitness in overweight students are necessary to increase self-determined motivation during fitness testing in physical education lesson. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Well-Being in School Setting)
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