Can break times (recess) help children's physical activity levels?

This paper explores children’s physical activity levels within break times (recess). Break times are within primary school unstructured opportunities for children to engage in physical activity opportunities (Article 1). Article 3 suggested that girls and boys have the same opportunities to be physically active. Article 2 stated that ”playtime can contribute to between 4 and 40% of the recommended daily physical activity levels when no interventions have been utilised” (p.359).<br /><br />Data were collected within a case study setting in one school, over one school year. 20 children wore Actigraph accelerometers to record physical activity intensity levels throughout the school day (9am until 3.10pm). A repeated measures 3 factor ANOVA was used to analyse the effects of factors – including: type of day (days including a Physical Education lesson (PE days) and those that did not (Non PE days); year group (infants / juniors); and gender (male / female). P values of <0.05 were taken as the value for statistical significance � one standard deviation. Statistical analysis was<br />completed using SPSS 17.0.<br /><br />The findings reveal that on average break times contributed to 29 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on PE days and 28 minutes of MVPA on Non PE days (higher results than proposed in Article 2. The results also showed that boys completed significantly more MVPA than girls and that the younger age group completed significantly more MVPA. It is suggested that the children effectively utilise break times.<br /><br />Keywords: Break times, Physical activity