ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH17
Background: Preschool children are characterized by physical inactivity, poor diet, and disturbed sleep quality, negatively impacting long-term health. Parental involvement is crucial in reversing unhealthy trend, and eHealth interventions can help engage parents by overcoming barriers like time and travel costs. Investigating the mechanisms by which parent-base eHealth interventions work and who they work for is particularly important. Objectives: To evaluate the mediators and moderators of a parent-based eHealth intervention on preschoolers’ physical activity, diet, and sleep at 12-week posttest. Method: The mediation and moderation analyses utilized dataset from a 24-week electronic health intervention study of Chinese preschoolers aged from 3 to 6 years (N=237 parent-child dyads), which was designed as a two-arm single-blinded randomized controlled trial to improve preschoolers’ physical activity, diet, and sleep. Preschoolers’ PA and sleep duration and quality were objectively examined using wGT3X ActiGraph accelerometer. Data related to parents and preschoolers’ eating behaviors and sleep problems were subjectively assessed using parent-reported questionnaires. The generalized estimating equation analysed the changes in preschoolers’ physical activity, diet, and sleep from baseline to 12 weeks between the two groups. Significant changes in the intervention group were assessed using PROCESS macro version 4.2 to determine potential mediators and moderators on these outcomes. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, significant improvements were observed in children’s diet, sleep, and screen time, which were associated with an increase in corresponding parenting self-efficacy. Enhancements in childrens diet and sleep were mediated by authoritative parenting style, while improvements in diet were also influenced by the feeding practice of control overeating. The exploratory analysis of moderators indicated that the effectiveness of intervention on preschoolers’ physical activity varied based on the children’s age and the parents’ BMI. Conclusion: It is suggested that future parent-based eHealth intervention research could focus on parenting self-efficacy, parenting styles, and parenting feeding practices to enhance the effectiveness of interventions targeting preschoolers’ lifestyle behaviors.
Read CV Wing Chung, Patrick LauECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH17
Introduction: Physical inactivity is currently one of the major threats to public health. Childhood and adolescence are considered essential periods for developing healthy lifestyle habits. The school environment provides an ideal context to promote physically active behaviours. The 48% of physical activity guidelines could be achieved among students with active commuting to and from school. This study aims to design a project to analyze the physical activity of students during commuting and its relationship with personal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy dimensions. Methods: Participants are 480 students, 480 parents, and 8 Physical Education teachers from all high schools in Soria, Spain. According to these socio-ecological dimensions: a) personal dimension, measured by the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Active Commuting scale (BPNS-ACS) (1), and by the mode, frequency, distance and time of commuting to and from school survey (2) as well as accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT), ALPHA Fitness test, health and quality of life survey (EQ-5D-Y-SL); b) interpersonal dimension, assessing the parental barriers by the safe routes to school program questionnaire (3); c) organizational dimension, by a Google Form questionnaire for PE teachers to check the didactic use of active commuting according to Spanish educational law; d) community dimension, by assessing walkability index and some socioeconomic factors of the school community, and e) policy dimension, by a Weaknesses, Threats, Strengths and Opportunities (SWOT) framework based on data collected from local educational policymakers. The protocol has been sent to the Ethical Committee of Universidad de Valladolid for approval. This Project (EDUCYL2024_05) is funded by the Consejería de Educación de la Junta de Castilla y León through the Dirección General de Innovación y Formación del Profesorado. Results: Physical active commuting data and their relationship to basic psychological needs, academic performance, physical fitness, self-perceived health, well-being, and quality of life status of students, and also, parents, teachers, and policymakers’ information will be shown by a SWOT. Conclusions: This project aims to design a planned strategy to promote active commuting in schools as an educational and public health strategy. References: 1. Burgueño R, et al. Validation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Active Commuting to and from School (BPNS-ACS) Scale in Spanish young people. J. Transp. Health. 2020; 16:100825. 2. Segura-Díaz JM, et al. Feasibility and Reliability of a Questionnaire to Assess the Mode, Frequency, Distance and Time of Commuting to and from School: The PACO Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2020; 17(14). 3. Huertas-Delgado FJ, et al. Parental perceptions of barriers to active commuting to school in Spanish children and adolescents. Eur. J. Public Health. 2017;27
Read CV Sergio Calonge PascualECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH17
School-based sport serves as a critical gateway to lifelong physical activity, athletic development, and future sport involvement. However, persistent disparities in participation rates and access continue to hinder engagement among girls and gender-diverse youth. This study investigates systemic barriers in schools in Ontario, Canada. This study analyzed survey data from 160 students (ages 5–18, M = 12.12, SD = 3.44 years) and 59 school leaders including school principals (21.3%) and physical education teachers (47.5%). Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to examine gender-based differences in sport participation rates, perceived barriers, and structural limitations within school settings. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses provided insight into institutional challenges and facilitators of gender-inclusive sport environments. Based on the findings, a significant gender gap in participation was observed with 41% of girls meeting physical activity guidelines compared to 53% of boys. Moreover, just 29% of girls participated in varsity sports, despite equivalent program offerings, highlighting the existence of non-structural barriers that need to be further understood (e.g., perceived competence, social norms, and psychological deterrents). Notably, 25% of girls and 66% of gender-diverse youth reported actively avoiding physical education classes due to discomfort, anxiety, or lack of enjoyment, pointing to a misalignment between curricular physical education and students engagement needs. Structural barriers further constrain access to school-based sport as a developmental pathway. For example, 80% of school leaders reported that the school provided equal opportunities for physical activity, and less than 40% indicated active efforts to create more inclusive environments for girls. Additionally, 31% of girls cited menstruation as a direct barrier to participation, yet institutional accommodations (e.g., flexible uniform policies, period-friendly resources) remained inconsistently implemented. Limited off-hours access to gymnasiums (reported by 50% of schools) and restricted availability of sport equipment (33%) further narrowed the scope for skill development and continued participation beyond mandatory physical education. The underrepresentation of women school leaders in coaching and sport leadership roles was identified as a key barrier to program inclusivity. Furthermore, only 55% of secondary school administrators perceived gender equity in sport scheduling and resource allocation, highlighting persistent disparities shaped by institutional and cultural dynamics beyond opportunity provision. Based on these findings, recommendations for creating a more inclusive sport system will be discussed, focusing on strategies that can enhance access and engagement for all students. School sport experiences can be foundational to increased participation in physical activity across the lifespan and need to be fostered.
Read CV Vanessa CoulbeckECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH17