Associations between extracurricular activity participation and health-related variables in underrepresented children

Abstract

Background

Keywords

Physical activity / Dietary behavior / Quality of life / Youth / Sport participation

Children from underrepresented populations exhibit low levels of physical activity (PA), diet quality, and health-related quality of life (QoL), but participation in extracurricular activities may positively impact these health outcomes.

Purpose

To examine differences in PA, dietary behavior, and QoL in underrepresented children by extracurricular activity dose (0, 1, ≥2) and type (sports, dance/martial arts, art/music).

Methods

Children (N = 754; Grades 4-6) completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children, KidsScreen-27 (QoL), and the School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey and self-reported extracurricular activity participation. One-way MANOVA tests were used in this analysis.

Results

Individuals participating in 1 and ≥ 2 activities (p < 0.001), sport/dance/martial arts (p < 0.001), and art/music (p = 0.029) had higher PA than non-participants. Those participating in ≥2 activities reported higher fruit intake compared to 1 activity and non-participants (p = 0.009; p < 0.001, respectively). Participants with ≥2 activities reported higher parent- and peer-related QoL compared to non-participants (p = 0.001; p = 0.025, respectively).

Conclusions

Extracurricular activity participation was positively associated with health behaviors in underrepresented children. Schools may be encouraged to allocate some of their resources to extracurricular activity programing.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board of Michigan State University as a program evaluation (#09-1204). Although child assent was not required for this program evaluation, a letter was sent home to parents stating that they could opt out their child from participating in the assessments.

Author’s contributions

JR, KC, SS, SD, and KP contributed to the conception and design of the study, data analysis, and drafting or critical revising of the manuscript. JR and KC were responsible for statistical analyses and data interpretation, supervised by KP. SS and KP supervised data collection, and SD was involved with data collection. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Submission statement

This manuscript has not been published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

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