Physical Activity Levels at School: Use of the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY)

Different levels of physical activity were observed during recess among students at six public schools in the Costa Rican province of Heredia and recorded according to sex, school semester and schedule. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activities (SOPLAY) in a sample group of 1098 schoolchildren. A descriptive and a non-parametric analysis of U-Mann Whitney was also used to compare two independent samples according to sex, school semester and schedule with a statistical criterion of p<0.05. Results show that girls have a preference towards more sedentary activities than boys. Children attending schools with extended school day are more sedentary than children who attend schools with double shi. schooling schedules. No significant differences were found with regards to the school semesters. It was concluded that, although childhood physical inactivity levels have not risen dramatically, certain findings warrant attention, particularly when physical activity is not promoted during recess or school activities.