Comparison of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels between physical education, school recess and after-school time in secondary school students: An accelerometer-based study

Abstract

Regular physical activity is an important factor of health in youth. Unfortunately, in Chile 85% of adolescents do not achieve the recommended 60 min daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Physical education, school recess and after-school time are considered crucial environments for adolescents to meet the recommended moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels. This study compared the moderate-tovigorous physical activity levels between physical education, school recess and after-school time in Chilean secondary school students, and examined the influence of gender and weight status. A hundred and fifty-six Chilean secondary school students (finally 89 participants were included), aged 13-14 years, were monitored by objective measures of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during physical education, school recess and after-school time. Results indicated statistically significant differences in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity between contexts (total minutes: after-school time>physical education>school recess; percentage: physical education>after-school time=school recess, p girls, p