The low physical activity levels of children today are a cause for serious concern. When examining certain populations of children, such as children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there is a possibility of even lower overall physical activity levels. However, when exploring the current literature examining the physical activity levels of children with ASD compared to children without ASD there were conflicting results. Some studies indicate that the physical activity levels between children with ASD and children without ASD are similar. Others indicate that children with ASD were less active than their counterparts. Although many of the previous studies employed sound protocol designs including using objective measures for physical activity, these studies did not appropriately match the groups. A child's environment is one of the determining factors of their overall physical activity levels. Current literature indicates that parents have a significant influence on the physical activity levels of their children. In order to accurately compare the levels of physical activity between children with ASD and without ASD, using appropriate matching groups is crucial. The purpose of this study was to examine the current physical activity levels of children with ASD by matching groups based on similar environments and parental influences. A total of 16 children (8 pairs of siblings) participated in this study. Physical activity levels were examined by the activity counts using accelerometers, evaluating time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and determining if children with ASD met the physical activity recommendations more or less than their siblings. Results indicate no difference in daily physical activity levels and time spent in MVPA were found between siblings. A total of 5 of the 16 children met the recommended amount of physical activity. Only 3 out of the 8 children with ASD met the recommended amount of physical activity. This stresses their time spent in MVPA should be an area of concern for all children and interventions should attempt to increase their MVPA early on. In conclusion, children with ASD were no less active than children without disabilities; however the children are not meeting the current physical activity recommendations. This study also suggests that for children with ASD, it may not be the condition that limits their physical activity, but instead the environmental factors may influence their activity levels. / Graduation date: 2013

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Dissertation (Ed.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Tom Martinek; submitted to the Dept. of Exercise and Sport Science. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 28, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-82).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-113).

Thesis (D. Phil.(Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Previous research has shown that fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency influences physical activity (PA) in children, such that those who are more proficient tend to be more active. Sufficient PA engagement in childhood has been associated with positive health outcomes, but little is known about PA levels in children with disabilities. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) represent the largest diagnostic group in pediatric rehabilitation. In one systematic review and six studies, FMS proficiency and PA levels among children with CP were measured, analyzed, and compared with typically developing children. The lack of a valid objective PA measurement method for children with CP was determined in the systematic review, and the first study (Chapter 2) validated the Actigraph accelerometer as a valid objective PA measurement instrument in this population group. FMS measurement in children with CP was addressed in the second study (Chapter 3), which showed that process-and product-oriented measurement are both important in characterizing FMS proficiency in a holistic manner. With the said measurement techniques validated, the third study (Chapter 4) utilized a cross- sectional study design to examine FMS proficiency and PA in children with and without CP. It was found that children were less active and more sedentary during weekends than weekdays. FMS proficiency was negatively associated with sedentary time and positively associated with time spent in moderate to vigorous PA in both groups of children. Process-oriented FMS measures were found to have a stronger influence on PA in children with CP than in typically developing children. With the intention to examine these relationships in a cause-effect study design, a theoretical model for FMS training programs was tested in children with and without disabilities in the fourth and fifth studies (Chapter 5). A movement training approach that minimized the amount of practice errors was found to facilitate improvements in FMS proficiency. This approach was then utilized in the sixth study (Chapter 6), wherein the relationship of FMS proficiency and PA were examined in a quasi-experimental design. It was found that by training FMS, weekend PA was heightened and weekend sedentary time was decreased among children with CP. In comparison, typically developing children manifested decreased weekend sedentary time after FMS training. The findings from these studies contribute to understanding the measurement of FMS and PA in children with CP, the implementation of FMS training in children in general, and the relationship between FMS and PA in children with and without disabilities. / published_or_final_version / Human Performance / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to discover if daily physical activity affects students' academic achievement on standardized tests and their physical health as measured by their body composition, body mass index, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants in this study. The experimental group consisted of 17 fourth-grade students who attend a rural Indiana school. The control group for this study consisted of 20 fourth-grade students who attend the same rural Indiana elementary school.After parental permission forms were returned from students in the experimental group, those 17 students participated in the daily physical activity program that met for approximately 20 minutes each day from January 31, 2002 through April 12, 2002. The researcher taught the daily physical activity program that involved aerobic activities during which the students wore heart rate monitors to help them monitor their heart rates. The goal for each activity time was for the students to maintain a heart rate between 150 and 200 beats per minute. The focus of the daily physical activity program was on cardiovascular wellness. The control group consisted of 20 students who participated in their school's regular physical education program offered one day a week for 45 minutes. During the time that the experimental group participated in the daily physical activity program, the students in the control group were at recess where they could participate in unstructured activities of their choice.Data was collected and compared from standardized test scores, and health data provided by an independent organization, The Caylor Nickel Foundation, to determine if there was a significant difference between the control group and experimental group in their academic achievement and physical health factors.Univariate analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine any significant differences between the groups (p =.05). The results indicated no significant difference between the control and experimental groups in academic achievement as measured by the NWEA Test in the areas of language, reading, and math. No significant difference was found in the cholesterol levels or the diastolic blood pressure of the two groups of students. A significant difference was found between the groups in their body composition, body mass index and systolic blood pressure. It was found that the experimental group had healthier results in their body composition, body mass index, and lower systolic blood pressure levels. / School of Physical Education

Hypertension afflicts one in four American adults and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that a family history of hypertension is an important predictor of future hypertension. Two hemodynamic factors control blood pressure (BP); cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance (TPR). Although children of hypertensive parents may exhibit normal levels of these hemodynamic variables at rest, the response of these variables during exercise stress may differ. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether children with a positive family history of hypertension exhibit an exaggerated BP response due to either an increased CO or an attenuated decrease in TPR during dynamic submaximal exercise compared to children of normotensive parents. Eleven children 12.2 ± 1.8 yr (M ± SE) of normotensive parents and 11 children 12.0 ± 2.4 yr of at least one hypertensive parent completed an orientation session, graded maximal cycle ergometer test, and a submaximal exercise bout consisting of 6 minutes of steady state cycling at 50 and 80% of maximal heart rate reserve. Blood pressure, CO and TPR were measured during the last 3 minutes of each submaximal exercise stage. An independent t-test was used to determine differences in the resting measures. The changes in TPR, BP and CO from rest through 80% intensity stage were examined using a twoway (group x intensity) ANOVA. The groups were evenly matched for age, weight, height, and body fatness. The children with a positive family history of hypertension had significantly higher resting systolic BP, diastolic BP (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (p<0.05) compared to those children with a negative family history. Although there were no significant interactions among any of the variables studied, there was a tendency for TPR to be higher (p>0.05) at rest and throughout exercise in the positive history group. MAP and DBP were significantly higher in the positive family history group at rest and remained higher throughout exercise. In conclusion children of hypertensive parents exhibit a modest but significantly higher MAP and DBP at rest and during submaximal exercise. This subtle difference in BP control reflects an early trend toward increased TPR. / School of Physical Education

(M.S.)--Northern Illinois University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [48]-52).