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Assessment of outdoor school environments and physical activity in Ankara's primary schools

Schoolyard size and landscape quality influence children's satisfaction and weight

Outdoor school grounds are an important environment to consider when striving to promote children’s physical activity and reduce childhood obesity. This study investigated linkages between the physical characteristics of children’s schoolyard environments and their attitudes, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). Their purpose was to determine how shortcomings in students’ physical outdoor environments at school may negatively affect their physical activity and body weight.

The researchers interviewed nearly 300 3rd and 4th grade students, as well as teachers, and administrators in five public schools in Ankara, Turkey. The researchers also measured students’ weight and height, and had professionals assess the schoolyard environment based on factors such as size, material, vegetation cover, and maintenance.

Although schoolyards differed, the researchers found that students generally had no direct contact with vegetation. Crowding was a factor in some settings in that the amount of outdoor space was limited given the number of students using the space. While most students were satisfied with their schoolyard, which the researchers speculate may be due to acclimation, dissatisfied students highlighted the lack of trees and greenery as the primary reason for their dissatisfaction. Among their many findings, the researchers report that the size of the schoolyard was significantly related to students’ BMI, with students in larger yards having lower BMI values than students in smaller yards. The researchers also found that yard landscape characteristics were significantly associated with children’s BMI values, but in the opposite direction than expected: students from schools with “advanced” landscape features had higher BMI values than students from schools with “low” landscape features, although BMI values were still in the normal range. The researchers also reported that students who walked to and from their schools had lower BMI values.

This study highlights the importance of participatory and well-thought-out school landscape design, as well as the need for adequate financing and maintenance of schoolyards. The researchers suggest that schoolyards should be designed to promote physical activity by children. They indicate that doing so will increase children’s awareness of their environment and will contribute to improvements in children’s health.

Citation

Ozdemir, A., Yilmaz, O., (2008). Assessment of outdoor school environments and physical activity in Ankara's primary schools. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(3), 287-300.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.02.004

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