Doctoral defence: Getter Marie Lemberg "The role of outdoor recess opportunities, schoolyard design, and parents in encouraging physical activity in school among 9-13-year-old students"

On 19 August at 12:00 Getter Marie Lemberg will defend her thesis "The role of outdoor recess opportunities, schoolyard design, and parents in encouraging physical activity in school among 9-13-year-old students".

Supervisor:
Research fellow Evelin Mäestu, University of Tartu

Opponent:
Senior research fellow Anna Bugge, University College Copenhagen (Denmark)

Summary
Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a growing health concern for children and adolescents globally, with only one-third meeting the World Health Organization's recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) daily (43% in Estonia). Consequently, it is important to find solutions to support the daily PA of children and adolescents. Schools offer a crucial setting to address this issue, particularly through outdoor recess, which has shown positive effects on student PA. Outdoor recess is a common part of the school day in many countries worldwide, but in Estonia, many schools are only in the beginning of the implementation phase. Additionally, in recent years, several schoolyards have been renovated to make them more interesting and activity-promoting for students.

This dissertation aimed to map schoolyard opportunities, measure student PA during various recess types, and assess how outdoor recess influences attitudes towards PA among students and parents. The study involved 15 schools across Estonia, which varied in size and recess types. From these schools, 967 students in grades 3-6 and one of their parents participated in the study. Data collection involved mapping schoolyard features, observing outdoor recess, using accelerometers to measure PA during recess, and questionnaires to assess attitudes about PA. Based on recess types, students were divided into three groups: 1) daily outdoor recess, 2) irregular outdoor recess, and 3) indoor recess.

The research revealed that larger, more natural schoolyards, often found in rural areas, best supported student PA. During outdoor recess, natural areas, swings, and climbing structures were most utilized, while sports fields were less used, especially without small equipment. Students with daily outdoor recess were more physically active during recess, and their MVPA levels did not decline with age, unlike other groups. Both students and parents in the "daily outdoor recess" group held significantly more positive attitudes towards outdoor recess, its benefits, and school PA opportunities.

The results of this work highlight the importance of including outdoor recess in the school day schedule and emphasize the significant potential of outdoor recess in supporting students' PA and reducing the typical decline in PA with increasing age. Additionally, the findings from mapping schoolyard opportunities and outdoor recess activities provide practical information for the construction of new schoolyards and the renovation of older ones.