Preschool outdoor play environment may combine promotion of children's physical activity and sun protection. Further evidence from Southern Sweden and North Carolina
(2011) 1st European Congress on Physical Activity and Health of Toddlers 26(2). p.72-82- Abstract
- Objective. - To study the impact of preschool outdoor environments on children's physical activity and solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure at different latitudes and countries. Methods. Outdoor environments of 11 preschools (two in Raleigh NC, USA, Lat.36 degrees N, nine in Malmo, Sweden, Lat.55 degrees N) were scored (OPEC) regarding space, vegetation, hilly terrain and level of integration between open spaces, vegetation and play structures. Free sky (%) was determined by imaging. Physical activity was measured by pedometers and solar UV-exposure by polysulphone dosimeters during 5 days in spring 2009, and individual background data gathered by questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Global UV radiation was measured and available... (More)
- Objective. - To study the impact of preschool outdoor environments on children's physical activity and solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure at different latitudes and countries. Methods. Outdoor environments of 11 preschools (two in Raleigh NC, USA, Lat.36 degrees N, nine in Malmo, Sweden, Lat.55 degrees N) were scored (OPEC) regarding space, vegetation, hilly terrain and level of integration between open spaces, vegetation and play structures. Free sky (%) was determined by imaging. Physical activity was measured by pedometers and solar UV-exposure by polysulphone dosimeters during 5 days in spring 2009, and individual background data gathered by questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Global UV radiation was measured and available individual UV radiation (%) computed. Results. - In Malmo, mean step count/minute was 21.2 in preschools with high-scored environment vs. 17.6 in low-scored environments, and UV-exposure lower, 26% vs. 43% of available UV during outdoor stay. In Raleigh, step count/minute was 12.3 and UV-exposure of available UV 27% during outdoor stay. Conclusions. - Step count/minute was lower in Raleigh than in Malmo, but in Malmo children at low-scored environments ran a higher risk of sunburn than in Raleigh. Trees and shrubbery integrated in children's playscape trigger both physical activity and sun-protective behaviour in Sweden, and previous measurements in Stockholm were confirmed. Such outdoor environment should be recommended, but the role of season and climate needs to be further explored. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2049403
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2011
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Physical activity, Sun exposure, Outdoor environment, Preschool children
- host publication
- Science and Sports
- volume
- 26
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 72 - 82
- publisher
- Elsevier
- conference name
- 1st European Congress on Physical Activity and Health of Toddlers
- conference location
- Epinal, France
- conference dates
- 2010-05-28 - 2010-05-29
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000291773400002
- scopus:79956330910
- ISSN
- 0765-1597
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.scispo.2011.01.007
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c521ea3b-b92f-4e80-bd53-f6407f1381ce (old id 2049403)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:51:49
- date last changed
- 2022-03-13 20:43:45
@inproceedings{c521ea3b-b92f-4e80-bd53-f6407f1381ce,
abstract = {{Objective. - To study the impact of preschool outdoor environments on children's physical activity and solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure at different latitudes and countries. Methods. Outdoor environments of 11 preschools (two in Raleigh NC, USA, Lat.36 degrees N, nine in Malmo, Sweden, Lat.55 degrees N) were scored (OPEC) regarding space, vegetation, hilly terrain and level of integration between open spaces, vegetation and play structures. Free sky (%) was determined by imaging. Physical activity was measured by pedometers and solar UV-exposure by polysulphone dosimeters during 5 days in spring 2009, and individual background data gathered by questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Global UV radiation was measured and available individual UV radiation (%) computed. Results. - In Malmo, mean step count/minute was 21.2 in preschools with high-scored environment vs. 17.6 in low-scored environments, and UV-exposure lower, 26% vs. 43% of available UV during outdoor stay. In Raleigh, step count/minute was 12.3 and UV-exposure of available UV 27% during outdoor stay. Conclusions. - Step count/minute was lower in Raleigh than in Malmo, but in Malmo children at low-scored environments ran a higher risk of sunburn than in Raleigh. Trees and shrubbery integrated in children's playscape trigger both physical activity and sun-protective behaviour in Sweden, and previous measurements in Stockholm were confirmed. Such outdoor environment should be recommended, but the role of season and climate needs to be further explored. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.}},
author = {{Boldemann, C. and Dal, H. and Martensson, F. and Cosco, N. and Moore, R. and Bieber, B. and Blennow, M. and Pagels, P. and Raustorp, A. and Wester, U. and Söderström, Margareta}},
booktitle = {{Science and Sports}},
issn = {{0765-1597}},
keywords = {{Physical activity; Sun exposure; Outdoor environment; Preschool children}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{72--82}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
title = {{Preschool outdoor play environment may combine promotion of children's physical activity and sun protection. Further evidence from Southern Sweden and North Carolina}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2011.01.007}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.scispo.2011.01.007}},
volume = {{26}},
year = {{2011}},
}