Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

What make boys and girls walk more

|
|
 
  
Published: Dec. 29, 2006 at 5:12 PM

MELBOURNE, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A study found boys in Australia are more likely to walk if they have accessible destinations, and girls are more likely to walk if they believe it's easy.

"Given that children spend much of their time in their local neighborhood, understanding influences on their physical activity in this setting is important," said study co-author Clare Hume of the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University in Australia.

Two hundred eighty Australian fifth-graders wore accelerometers for eight days so researchers could measure their overall physical activity, and they also reported their own weekly walking frequency.

Boys and girls walked an average of 6.4 times a week in their neighborhoods. More than 70 percent of children could walk to 15 destinations, including a park, school, friend's house, shopping center and recreational center. Eighty-five percent of children said it was easy and safe to walk or cycle around their neighborhoods. Almost 80 percent said they knew lots of people in the area and had friends living nearby.

Boys with more accessible destinations made about one extra walking trip every two weeks, while girls made three more trips if they felt their neighborhoods were easy to walk or cycle around.

The study appears in the January/February issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.

© 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Health News Stories
1 of 29
Members of the Army's Old Guard place flags at Arlington National Ceremtery
View Caption
U.S. flags are seen in the rucksack of a soldier with the Army's 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, as he places flags at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Flags-In Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. American flags were placed at each of the more than 220,000 grave markers in honor of those who served and Memorial Day. UPI/Kevin Dietshc
fark
Woman swallows toothbrush while brushing her teeth. Surgeons remove it before Oral B becomes Anal...
MSNBC Host Chris Hayes: I'm 'Uncomfortable' calling fallen military 'Heroes'
What do you REALLY know about the Queen?
A survey reveals that one-third of British pet owners would rather go away with their pet on vacation...
I'm thinking of using a non-sequitor to greet various people. I was thinking something like "Brother"...
Photoshop this Passing President