Affiliation:
1. Department of Kinesiology and Health Science Utah State University 7000 Old Main Hill Logan UT 84322 USA
2. Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and Psychology University of Southern California SSB 302E 2001 N. Soto Street Los Angeles CA 90032 USA
3. Pennington Biomedical Research Center 6400 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge LA 70808 USA
4. Department of Kinesiology Michigan State University 308 W Circle Drive East Lansing MI 48824 USA
5. Health Behaviors Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences National Cancer Institute 9609 Medical Centre Drive Rockville MD 20850 USA
Abstract
ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDNational adherence to the recess recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not been comprehensively studied in the United States.METHODSData from 6 nationally representative data sets over the last decade (Classification of Laws Associated with School Students, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, National Youth Fitness Survey, School Health Policies and Practices Survey, and the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study) provided estimates for adherence to CDC recess guidelines.RESULTSWhile approximately 65‐80% of elementary school‐children receive the recommended 20+ minutes of daily recess according to parent‐, principal‐, and school‐report, adherence declines by sixth grade, and little information is available for middle/high school students. Adherence to playground safety was high (90%), but adherence to recommendations about recess before lunch (<50%), withholding recess as punishment (∼50%), and training recess staff (<50%) were lower.CONCLUSIONSSchool policy and practice should align with CDC recommendations, with the aim of providing sufficient quality recess to all youth, K‐12th grade. Comprehensive, on‐going national surveillance of multiple recess domains is needed to inform policy and ensure equitable provision of recess.
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Philosophy,Education