Sociodemographic influences on youth sport participation and physical activity among children living within concentrated Hispanic/Latino rural communities.

Introduction: Lack of physical activity (PA) among children living in rural communities is a documented public health problem. Although studies have examined community conditions defined by a rural-urban dichotomy, few have investigated rural community conditions with a concentration of Hispanic/Latino people. This cross-sectional study examined sociodemographic characteristics associated with youth sport (YS) participation and daily PA among children living within concentrated Hispanic/Latino rural U.S. Midwest communities. Methods: During spring 2022, 97% of 3rd-6th grade children (n = 281, aged approximately 8-12 years) attending school in rural Midwestern communities (n = 2) with >50% concentration of Hispanic students participated in the Wellscapes Project, a community randomized trial. Participants completed the Youth Activity Profile and supplemental National Survey of Children's Health questions assessing PA behaviors and YS participation. Caregivers of a subsample of children (n = 215; males, n = 93; females, n = 122) consented to pair their child's survey results with school enrollment records (e.g., free/reduced lunch status and race and ethnicity). Mixed models with community as a random effect examined main and interaction effects of grade, sex, ethnoracial status, and family income on YS participation and these sociodemographic characteristics and YS participation on daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Results: Approximately half of children participated in YS. Non-Hispanic White children (n = 82) were over five times more likely to participate in YS than Hispanic peers (n = 133) (OR = 5.54, 95% CI = 2.64-11.61, p < 0.001). YS participants accumulated 8.3 ± 2.3 more minutes of daily MVPA than non-participants (p < 0.001). Sixth graders, females, and Hispanic children reported lower daily MVPA than comparison groups (p < 0.05). Significant interaction effects on daily MVPA between grade and ethnoracial status (F(3, 204) = 3.04, p = 0.030) were also found. Discussion: Disparities in sport participation and PA outcomes based on sociodemographic characteristics exist among children living in ethnoracially diverse rural communities. Strategies to promote YS participation, including community structural changes, may help reduce PA disparities. The research provides valuable insights for policymakers, public health professionals, and community members to address YS participation barriers, not limited to cost, while considering other PA-promotion efforts to improve child population health.

A Protocol for a Local Community Monitoring and Feedback System for Physical Activity in Organized Group Settings for Children.

BACKGROUND: Communities are wellness landscapes of geospatially and temporally bound settings where children spend their time. Improving population physical activity (PA) requires investigating available community settings for children, such as classrooms and sport teams, and the dynamic social interactions producing PA. This protocol describes a multiscale community wellness landscape monitoring and feedback system of adult-led organized group settings and PA outcomes for children. METHODS: The data system assessed organized groups for third- through sixth-grade children in 2 rural communities within seasons (fall 2018-2019). Within each season, groups were identified, sampled, and recruited. Sampled group meetings were assessed for children's PA (accelerometry) and meeting routines (video observation). A data processing protocol time-segmented data into meetings and meeting routines into smaller units (sessions). A purpose code was assigned to each meeting (eg, classroom, sport) and session (eg, academic, PA). Group accelerometer data were paired with the coded segments. Multiscale metrics (season, meeting, and session) were generated and provided to the communities in tailored reports. RESULTS: A total of 94 groups were recruited, and 73 groups with 1302 participants were included in the data system. Data were collected from 213 meetings and 844 sessions. Most participants (83.1%) consented to link their accelerometer data with demographic data from school enrollment records. CONCLUSIONS: The community data system identified available organized group settings for children and collected video and PA data from these settings. Incorporating setting data into local data systems provides detailed accounts of whole-of-community PA social systems to inform population health improvement efforts.

COVID-19 pandemic and changes in children's physical activity in a rural US community: a mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine differences in rural community children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and participation in out-of-school activities from fall 2019 to fall 2020 and explore enacted PA opportunity modifications post initial COVID-19 disruption. DESIGN: Mixed methods study using the validated Youth Activity Profile (YAP), administrator reports and stakeholder surveys and semistructured interviews. SETTING: Children and community stakeholders from one rural US Great Plains community in the state of Nebraska were recruited. PARTICIPANTS: Third through fifth graders in fall 2019 (n=144) and fall 2020 (n=174) reported MVPA and participation in out-of-school activities using the YAP. School administrators reported weekly physical education (PE) and recess minutes. Community stakeholders reported pandemic-related changes in community social structures in semistructured interviews (n=4) and surveys (n=19). RESULTS: Average daily MVPA minutes increased from 2019 to 2020 (75.0 vs 81.3, SE=1.6, p<0.05). Minutes of MVPA increased during: school hours (MD=2.7, SE=0.5, p<0.5); out-of-school time on weekdays (MD=3.9, SE=1.3, p<0.5); and on weekends (MD=5.5, SE=2.4, p<0.5). On average, fewer children participated in youth sport (42.5% vs 47.2%), youth clubs (10.3% vs 16.0%) and other out-of-school activities (24.1% vs 38.2%) in 2020, compared with 2019. Weekly PE/recess minutes increased from 208.3 to 241.7 from 2019 to 2020. Stakeholder surveys revealed community-driven modifications to PA opportunities, and interviews suggested children played outside more frequently, especially when school was closed and out-of-school activities were shut down. CONCLUSIONS: Increased minutes of PE and recess, and decreased out-of-school activity participation may have increased children's overall free play and MVPA during the pandemic. Free play was an important contributor to children's PA during the pandemic and should be prioritised by educators, coaches and other leaders of child PA opportunities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03380143.

Youth sport participation and physical activity in rural communities.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity, a high-frequency health behavior, varies by where children live, learn, and play. Children accumulate physical activity in adult-led in-school and out-of-school settings. Youth sport is a potential setting for physical activity, but there are differences in youth sport participation based on age, sex, and socioeconomic status. There is a gap in understanding demographic influences on youth sport participation and how these factors interact to influence physical activity. This study examines influences of grade, sex, and family income on youth sport participation and these factors and youth sport participation on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of children in rural communities. METHODS: Children (n = 418 3rd-6th graders) living in two rural communities completed the online Youth Activity Profile as part of Wellscapes, a type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness community randomized trial. Mixed models with community as a random effect examined main effects and interactions of grade, sex, and family income on youth sport participation and these factors and youth sport participation on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. RESULTS: About 80% of children engaged in youth sport, and full-pay lunch students were almost four times more likely to have youth sport participation than students with free/reduced lunch (OR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.95, 7.8). Females and 6th graders (p < 0.05) had lower physical activity than comparison groups. Males with higher family income had greater physical activity; females with higher family income had less physical activity. For 6th graders, high family income had less effect on physical activity than similar 3rd-5th graders (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: While a fairly high percentage of children participate in youth sports, there are disparities in rural communities on youth sport participation and physical activity outcomes based on age, sex, and family income.