CHIPASE-project

CHIPASE, tutkimus, projekti, research, project, children, physical activity

Children’s physical activity spectrum: daily variations in physical activity and sedentary patterns related to school indoor physical environment

CHIPASE-project is funded by Ministry of Education and Culture (2017-2020)      SUOMEKSI

PI: Taija Juutinen Finni,

Researchers: Arja Sääkslahti, Eero Haapala, Arto Laukkanen, Arto Pesola, Gao Ying, Anna-Maija Poikkeus, Jani Hartikainen

Children spend on average 8 to 9 hours/day in sedentary activities and a large proportion of this is accumulated while sitting in classrooms. Currently, it is largely unknown how different physical school environments or school policies can influence children’s sedentary time at schools. Typically studies reporting sedentary time have used accelerometer-based thresholds. However, identifying sedentary behaviour using accelerometry measures is not without problems. This study will first investigate how different methods identify sedentary behaviour and its variability in 8-11 year old children. In a laboratory setting, energy cost, muscle activity and accelerometry will be recorded during common sedentary tasks and other activities to investigate how the signals, processed in several ways, correspond to the 1.5 MET (metabolic equivalent of task) that is used as definition of sedentariness. We then study in both cross-sectional and longitudinal design how physical activity and sedentary patterns are affected by different indoor physical environments in primary schools. Using both accelerometry and muscle activity assessments during normal daily life we will quantify physical activity patterns during entire day, school day, leisure time, specific lessons and school breaks. Within classroom, we expect that physical activity and sedentary patterns at class are mediated through teacher instruction that is investigated using validated SOSMART observation tool. With a longitudinal sample (120 have been measured at baseline) we are able to study whether a novel school environment can reduce children’s sedentary behavior and influence their engagement. This study provides evidence needed for future interventions targeting sedentary behavior and making recommendations for activity permissive indoor environments in school settings.

Publications:

Gao Y, Melin M, Mäkäräinen K, Rantalainen T, Pesola AJ, Laukkanen A, Sääkslahti A, Finni T. (2018Children’s physical activity and sedentary time compared using assessments of accelerometry counts and muscle activity levelPeerJ 6:e5437.

Gao Y, Haapala EA, Vanhala A, Sääkslahti S, Rantakokko M, Laukkanen A, Pesola AJ, Rantalainen T, Finni T. Sedentary thresholds for accelerometry-based mean amplitude deviation and EMG amplitude in 7-11 years old children. Frontiers in Physiology 2019, (7)10:997. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00997     

Haapala EA, Gao Y, Vanhala A, Rantalainen T, Finni T (2020). Validity of traditional physical activity intensity calibration methods and the feasibility of self-paced walking and running on individualised calibration of physical activity intensity in children. Scientific reports, 10, 11031. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67983-7

Haapala EA, Gao Y, Rantalainen T, Finni T. (2021) Associations of age, body size, and maturation with physical activity intensity in different laboratory tasks in children. Journal of Sports Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1876328

Haapala EA, Gao Y, Lintu N, Väistö J, Vanhala A, Tompuri T, Lakka TA, Finni T. Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, motor competence, and adiposity in children. Translational Sports Medicine 2021a, 4:56-64. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tsm2.198

Haapala EA, Gao Y, Hartikainen J, Rantalainen T, Finni T. Associations of fitness, motor competence, and adiposity with the indicators of physical activity intensity during different physical activities in children. Scientific Reports 2021c. Accepted.

Hartikainen, J, Haapala EA, Poikkeus AM, Lapinkero E, Pesola A, Rantalainen T, Sääkslahti A, Gao Y, Finni T. Comparison of Classroom-based Sedentary Time and Physical Activity in Conventional Classrooms and Open Learning Spaces Among Elementary School Students. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 2021a. DOI:10.3389/fspor.2021.626282

Hartikainen J, Poikkeus A-M, Haapala EA, Sääkslahti A, Finni T. Associations of Classroom Design and Classroom-Based Physical Activity with Behavioral and Emotional Engagement among Primary School Students. Sustainability 2021b, 13, 8116. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su13148116

Rantalainen T, Ridgers ND, Gao Y, Belavý DL, Haapala EA, Finni T. Physical Activity Accumulation Along the Intensity Spectrum Differs Between Children and Adults. European Journal of Applied Physiology 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04731-3