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Table 4 Absolute size of outdoor play space at ECEC on physical activity and sedentary time

From: Environmental and practice factors associated with children’s device-measured physical activity and sedentary time in early childhood education and care centres: a systematic review

Study ID

Study Design

Sample size

Risk of bias

Outdoor play area size

Sedentary time

MVPA

TPA

Steps

Bell 2015 [20]

Cross-sectional

328

Low

≤ 400m2 vs. > 400m2

Boldeman 2011 [63]

Cross-sectional

169

High

< 1200m2 vs. 1200-3000 m2 vs. >3000m2

Chen 20201 [64]

Cross-sectional

69

High

≤200m2 vs. ~900m2

Chen 20202 [64]

Cross-sectional

151

High

≤200m2 vs. >2700m2

Dowda 2009 [26]

Cross-sectional

299

Low

< 387m2 vs. ≥ 387m2

Henderson 2015 [54]

Cross-sectional

447

Low

< 505m2 vs. ≥ 505m2

Hinkley 2016 [60]

Cross-sectional

731

High

Not reported

Ng 2020a [27]

Case-control

120

High

Not reported

Ng 2020b [27]

Case-control

103

High

Not reported

Olesen 2013 [56]

Cross-sectional

426

Low

567m2-5175m2, median 2700m2

Saunders 2019a [59]

RCT

188

High

<1308m2 vs. ≥ 1308m2

Saunders 2019b [59]

RCT

191

High

<1308m2 vs. ≥ 1308m2

Sugiyama 2012 [61]

Cross-sectional

107

High

≤ 400m2 vs. > 400m2

Tonge 2020 [62]

Cross-sectional

490

High

< 400m2 vs. ≥ 400m2

Summary effect direction

  1. Abbreviations: MVPA Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, TPA Total physical activity; a = intervention group; b = control group; 1 = first outdoor play area size comparison; 2 = second outdoor play area size comparison
  2. Effect direction: Study level: ▲ = Absolute size of outdoor play space benefits outcomes (lower sedentary time; higher physical activity); = conflicting findings; ■ = (summary) statistics not presented; ‘-‘= outcome not assessed
  3. Summary: ▲ = studies show absolute size of outdoor play space at ECEC benefits outcomes (lower sedentary time; higher physical activity);  = insufficient reporting of data