Table 1 How Structured Days Hypothesis (SDH) operates across obesogenic behavior
Obesogenic Behavior | Protective Element of ‘Structured’ School Day | Impact on Obesogenic Behavior | School Example(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
Physical Activity | Compulsory and voluntary PA opportunities for physical activity to occur before, during, and/or after school. | Increased daily PA | • Walking to/from school • Recess • Physical education • Transitions between class/activities • Classroom PA Promotion • Before/after-school programs or sports clubs |
Sedentary/Screen Time | Segmented school day limits amount of time children spend seated. Limited non-educational screen time. | Decreased daily sedentary/screen time | • Bouts of sedentary time broken-up by transitions in and to/from class • Classroom teachers control screen time exposure |
Sleep | Presence of school day establishes consistent early bed/wake times for children and evening/morning routines and rules. | Earlier bed/wake times | • Parent/Guardian enforces earlier bed/wake time rules on school days • Child is awake earlier to engage in morning intentional and unintentional PA • Early bed time reduces child engagement in sedentary/screen time |
Diet | Structure of school day limits eating occasions for children. Schools offer regulated access to nutrient dense meals. | Decreased access to unhealthy foods/beverages and reduced overconsumption | • Scheduled opportunities to consume foods/beverages in school (e.g., breakfast, recess, lunch). • NSLP serve nutritionally balanced, age-appropriate portions. |