The Effect of The Daily Mile on Primary School Children's Aerobic Fitness Levels After 12 Weeks: A Controlled Trial.

The Daily Mile (TDM) is a school-based physical activity intervention encompassing a 15-minute run at least three times per week. This study aimed to determine (1) the effects of performing TDM for 12 weeks on Dutch primary school children's aerobic fitness levels and (2) if additional personal support for teachers impacted the effectiveness of TDM. Nine Dutch primary schools ( = 659 children, grades 5-8) were allocated to a control (no TDM), intervention (12 weeks TDM) or intervention-plus (12 weeks TDM, additional personal support) group.

The hour-to-hour influence of weather conditions on walking and cycling among Dutch older adults.

Background: physical activity (PA) is an important factor to promote healthy ageing. However, older adults are not physically active enough. Socio-ecological models suggest that weather conditions are determinants of PA and may bias relations between other environmental factors and PA.

Structural neighbourhood conditions, social cohesion and psychological distress in the Netherlands.

Background: Neighbourhood inequalities in psychological distress are well reported, but underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The main purposes of this study were to investigate associations between structural neighbourhood conditions and psychological distress, and to explore the potential mediating role of neighbourhood social cohesion.

Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire study on a random sample of 18,173 residents aged ≥ 16 years (response 49%) from the four largest cities in the Netherlands.

Characteristics of residential areas and transportational walking among frail and non-frail Dutch elderly: does the size of the area matter?

Background: A residential area supportive for walking may facilitate elderly to live longer independently. However, current evidence on area characteristics potentially important for walking among older persons is mixed. This study hypothesized that the importance of area characteristics for transportational walking depends on the size of the area characteristics measured, and older person's frailty level.

Urban form and psychosocial factors: do they interact for leisure-time walking?

Introduction: This cross-sectional study uses an adaptation of a social-ecological model on the hierarchy of walking needs to explore direct associations and interactions of urban-form characteristics and individual psychosocial factors for leisure-time walking.

Methods: Questionnaire data (n = 736) from adults (25-74 yr) and systematic field observations within 14 neighborhoods in Eindhoven (the Netherlands) were used. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to relate the urban-form characteristics (accessibility, safety, comfort, and pleasurability) and individual psychosocial factors (attitude, self-efficacy, social influence, and intention) to two definitions of leisure-time walking, that is, any leisure-time walking and sufficient leisure-time walking according to the Dutch physical activity norm and to explore their interactions.

Explaining socio-demographic differences in disengagement from sports in adolescence.

Purpose: The purpose of this longitudinal study is to identify risk groups for disengagement from sports during adolescence. In addition, it will be explored whether cognitive and environmental factors can explain socio-demographic differences in disengagement from sports.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Environmental Determinants of Obesity in Rotterdam Schoolchildren study, and 357 adolescents were eligible for analysis.

Are neighbourhood social capital and availability of sports facilities related to sports participation among Dutch adolescents?

Background: The aim of this study is to explore whether availability of sports facilities, parks, and neighbourhood social capital (NSC) and their interaction are associated with leisure time sports participation among Dutch adolescents.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on complete data from the last wave of the YouRAction evaluation trial. Adolescents (n = 852) completed a questionnaire asking for sports participation, perceived NSC and demographics.

Effectiveness of YouRAction, an intervention to promote adolescent physical activity using personal and environmental feedback: a cluster RCT.

Background: In this study the one and six months effects of the computer-tailored YouRAction (targeting individual level determinants) and YouRAction+e (targeting in addition perceived environmental determinants) on compliance with the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guideline and weight status are examined. In addition the use and appreciation of both interventions are studied.

Methods: A three-armed cluster randomized trial was conducted in 2009-2010 with measurements at baseline, one and six months post intervention.

Associations between availability of facilities within three different neighbourhood buffer sizes and objectively assessed physical activity in adolescents.

This study aims to explore whether objectively measured availability of parks and sports facilities within three different buffer sizes are associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescents, and to identify potential cognitive mediators of this association. Data were obtained from adolescents (N=209, mean age: 14.5 (SD: 0.

Longitudinal associations between cycling to school and weight status.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the longitudinal association between cycling to school and weight status in two cities where cycling to school is common - Kristiansand (Norway) and Rotterdam (The Netherlands).

Methods: Data from two studies ENDORSE (Rotterdam) and YOUTH IN BALANCE (Kristiansand) were used. Both studies were longitudinal with two years between time (T) 1 and T2 measurements, and with mean age at T1 of 13.

Systematic Development of the YouRAction program, a computer-tailored physical activity promotion intervention for Dutch adolescents, targeting personal motivations and environmental opportunities.

Background: Increasing physical activity (PA) among adolescents is an important health promotion goal. PA has numerous positive health effects, but the majority of Dutch adolescents do not meet PA requirements. The present paper describes the systematic development of a theory-based computer-tailored intervention, YouRAction, which targets individual and environmental factors determining PA among adolescents.

Availability of sports facilities as moderator of the intention-sports participation relationship among adolescents.

This longitudinal study aimed to identify individual and environmental predictors of adolescents' sports participation and to examine whether availability of sports facilities moderated the intention-behaviour relation. Data were obtained from the ENvironmental Determinants of Obesity in Rotterdam SchoolchildrEn study (2005/2006 to 2007/2008). A total of 247 adolescents (48% boys, mean age at follow-up 15 years) completed the surveys at baseline and follow-up.

Objective and perceived availability of physical activity opportunities: differences in associations with physical activity behavior among urban adolescents.

Background: This study examined the associations of the perceived and objective environment with adolescent engagement in sports activities and walking and cycling in leisure time. It also explored the degree of agreement between objective and perceived availability of physical activity (PA) facilities in neighborhoods.

Methods: Cross-sectional data on physical activity, the perceived availability of physical activity opportunities (perceived physical environment) was assessed through a questionnaire and the objective availability of PA opportunities (objective physical environment) was obtained through GIS data.