Effects of Environmental Changes at Recess on Physical Activity Levels in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged of Children in Nebraska

Promoting physical activity (PA) among young people is a national priority. Children do not meet PA guidelines, with highest inactivity patterns among Black and Hispanic children. When given an opportunity to be active during recess, children will typically engage in meaningful amounts of PA. However, without the ability to choose activities, children may only be active in as little as 20% of their recess time. Therefore, the recess environment should be conducive to PA. Guided by the ecological model, this study will educate staff about the importance of facilitating an environment conducive for children to participate in PA and modify an environment to increase PA participation and PA levels during recess. The overall objective of this study is to determine which components of the recess environment in socioeconomically disadvantaged schools are most influential in fostering PA participation (% of students who are active) and increasing PA levels (moderate and vigorous) in children durinq recess.