Examining the environmental influences on physical activity among children in rural Northern Ontario

Low levels of physical activity (PA) among children in Canada have been a primary health concern over the last decade. Higher levels of PA are associated with numerous social, physical, and mental health benefits, and research has also shown that different social, built, and natural elements of local environments are associated with varying levels of PA. Despite growing evidence around the connection between a child’s environment and PA, little research has examined the influence of the environment on the PA of rural Canadian children.\nBroadly based on the ecological systems theory, this dissertation used data from the Spatial Temporal Environment and Activity Monitoring (STEAM) project. The STEAM project used a multi-method design to gather both quantitative and qualitative health data on a geographically diverse group of children aged 8-14 years in Ontario.\nAnalyses using logistic regression indicated that correlates of PA differ from weekdays to weekends and that on weekends children from rural Northern Ontario were more active than children from different neighbourhood types (urban, suburban, rural) in Southern Ontario. This established difference between rural Southern and Northern Ontario children provided evidence to support a more in-depth analysis of the factors associated with PA levels among rural Northern children.\nA cross-classified model was used to explore correlates of PA among rural children from Northern Ontario, specifically focusing on weather. Boys were more active than girls, children were more active on weekdays, children were less active on days with precipitation, and higher temperature led to higher levels of PA.\nQualitative methods were used to further explore the environmental influences on rural children’s PA. Based on a thematic analysis of focus groups, three important themes were identified as having an impact on children’s PA: physical environment, social environment, and perceptions of safety.\nThis dissertation demonstrated the temporal and contextual nuances of children’s PA. Specifically, temporal factors like day type and season and contextual factors including, fear of wildlife, had an impact on children’s PA. This work provided important evidence for policymakers and decision-makers to help guide future interventions and policies for increasing PA levels among children in rural communities.

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