Student or educator? Sign up with your school email and get 6 months of Pro free.
Cited by 472

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 9 of the 9 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

What Is the Relationship between Outdoor Time and Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Physical Fitness in Children? A Systematic Review

Open access
Gray, Casey, Gibbons, Rebecca, Larouche, Richard, Sandseter, Ellen, Bienenstock, Adam, Brussoni, Mariana, Chabot, Guylaine, Herrington, Susan, Janssen, Ian, Pickett, William, Power, Marlene, Stanger, Nick, Sampson, Margaret, Tremblay, Mark·2015·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Abstract

The objective of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between outdoor time and: (1) physical activity, (2) cardiorespiratory fitness, (3) musculoskeletal fitness, (4) sedentary behaviour; or (5) motor skill development in children aged 3–12 years. We identified 28 relevant studies that were assessed for quality using the GRADE framework. The systematic review revealed overall positive effects of outdoor time on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and cardiorespiratory fitness, although causality could not be assumed due to a lack of RCTs. Motor skill development was unrelated to outdoor time; however, this relationship was only examined in a single study of preschool children. No studies were found that examined associations between outdoor time and musculoskeletal fitness.

Overview

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/ijerph120606455

Cites

9 of 9 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Verification

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Citations

Cites

Show all 9 references

Research works printed but not linked: 60

  1. Colley, 2011, Physical activity of Canadian children and youth: Accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey, Heal. Rep., 22, 15
  2. Tomkinson, 2003, Secular trends in the performance of children and adolescents (1980–2000): An analysis of 55 studies of the 20 m shuttle run test in 11 countries, Sports Med., 33, 285, 10.2165/00007256-200333040-00003 · DOI · Paper page
  3. Bassett, D.R., John, D., Conger, S.A., Fitzhugh, E.C., and Coe, D.P. (2014). Trends in physical activity and sedentary behaviors of U.S. youth. J. Phys. Act. Health, in press. · DOI
  4. Veitch, 2006, Where do children usually play? A qualitative study of parents’ perceptions of influences on children’s active free-play, Health Place, 12, 383, 10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.02.009 · DOI · Paper page
  5. Valentine, 1997, Children’s outdoor play: Exploring parental concerns about children’s safety and the changing nature of childhood, Geoforum, 28, 219, 10.1016/S0016-7185(97)00010-9 · DOI · Paper page
  6. Lareau, 2002, Invisible inequality: Social class and childrearing in black families and white families, Amer. Sociol. Rev., 67, 747, 10.1177/000312240206700507 · DOI · Paper page
  7. Singh, 2012, Contexts of childhood and play: Exploring parental perceptions, Childhood, 19, 235, 10.1177/0907568211413941 · DOI
  8. Smyrni, 2014, The challenges of bringing the waldkindergarten concept to North America, Child. Youth Environ., 24, 215, 10.1353/cye.2014.0026 · DOI
  9. Carver, 2008, Playing it safe: The influence of neighbourhood safety on children’s physical activity. A review, Health Place, 14, 217, 10.1016/j.healthplace.2007.06.004 · DOI · Paper page
  10. Clements, 2004, An investigation of the status of outdoor play—Contemporary issues in early childhood, Contemp. Issues Early Child., 5, 68, 10.2304/ciec.2004.5.1.10 · DOI · Paper page
  11. Holt, 2013, “Eyes on where children play”: A retrospective study of active free play, Child. Geogr., 13, 73, 10.1080/14733285.2013.828449 · DOI
  12. Glenn, 2013, Meanings of play among children, Childhood, 20, 185, 10.1177/0907568212454751 · DOI
  13. Miller, 2008, Children’s perceptions of play experiences and play preferences: A qualitative study, Amer. J. Occup. Ther., 62, 407, 10.5014/ajot.62.4.407 · DOI
  14. Veitch, 2007, Children’s perceptions of the use of public open spaces for active free-play, Child. Geogr., 5, 409, 10.1080/14733280701631874 · DOI
  15. Larson, 2011, Children’s time outdoors: Results and implications of the National Kids Survey, J. Park Recreat. Adm., 29, 1
  16. Krogh, 2009, Changes in children’s nature-based experiences near home: From spontaneous play to adult-controlled, planned and organised activities, Child. Geogr., 7, 339, 10.1080/14733280903024506 · DOI
  17. Ngo, 2014, A cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating an incentive based outdoor physical activity programme to increase outdoor time and prevent myopia in children, Opthalmic Physiol. Opt., 34, 362, 10.1111/opo.12112 · DOI
  18. Barber, S.E., Jackson, C., Akhtar, S., Bingham, D.D., Ainsworth, H., Hewitt, C., Richardson, G., Summerbell, C.D., Pickett, K.E., Moore, H.J., Routen, A.C., O’Malley, C.L., Brierley, S., and Wright, J. (2013). “Pre-schoolers in the playground” an outdoor physical activity intervention for children aged 18 months to 4 years old: Study protocol for a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials, 14. · DOI
  19. Hinkley, 2008, Preschool children and physical activity: a review of correlates, Amer. J. Prev. Med., 34, 435, 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.02.001 · DOI · Paper page
  20. Sterdt, 2013, Correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews, Health Educ. J., 73, 72, 10.1177/0017896912469578 · DOI · Paper page
  21. Boldemann, 2006, Impact of preschool environment upon children’s physical activity and sun exposure, Prev. Med., 42, 301, 10.1016/j.ypmed.2005.12.006 · DOI · Paper page
  22. Loucaides, 2006, Correlates of pedometer-assessed physical activity in Cypriot elementary school children, J. Phys. Act. Health, 3, 267, 10.1123/jpah.3.3.267 · DOI
  23. Burdette, 2005, A national study of neighborhood safety, outdoor play, television viewing, and obesity in preschool children, Pediatrics, 116, 657, 10.1542/peds.2004-2443 · DOI · Paper page
  24. Danner, 1991, Description of the physical activity of young children using movement sensor and observation methods, Pediatr. Exer., 3, 11, 10.1123/pes.3.1.11 · DOI
  25. Ortlieb, S., Schneider, G., Koletzko, S., Berdel, D., von Berg, A., Bauer, C.P., Schaaf, B., Herbarth, O., Lehmann, I., and Hoffmann, B. (2013). Physical activity and its correlates in children: A cross-sectional study (the GINIplus & LISAplus studies). BMC Public Health, 13. · DOI
  26. Cleland, 2008, A prospective examination of children’s time spent outdoors, objectively measured physical activity and overweight, Int. J. Obes., 32, 1685, 10.1038/ijo.2008.171 · DOI · Paper page
  27. Jones, A.P., Coombes, E.G., Griffin, S.J., and van Sluijs, E.M. (2009). Environmental supportiveness for physical activity in English schoolchildren: A study using Global Positioning Systems. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act., 6. · DOI
  28. Wickel, 2013, Variables associated with active and inactive behavior during the after-school period, Pediatr. Exerc. Sci., 25, 288, 10.1123/pes.25.2.288 · DOI
  29. Conrad, 2013, The German Environmental Survey for Children (GerES IV): reference values and distributions for time-location patterns of German children, Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Heal., 216, 25, 10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.02.004 · DOI
  30. Martin, 2008, Using social cognitive theory to predict physical activity in inner-city African American school children, J. Sport Exerc. Psychol., 30, 378, 10.1123/jsep.30.4.378 · DOI
  31. Baranowski, 1993, Observations on physical activity in physical locations: Age, gender, ethnicity, and month effects, Res. Quart. Exerc. Sport, 64, 127, 10.1080/02701367.1993.10608789 · DOI · Paper page
  32. Klesges, 1990, Effects of obesity, social interactions, and physical environment on physical activity in preschoolers, Heal. Psychol., 9, 435, 10.1037/0278-6133.9.4.435 · DOI
  33. Ludvigsson, 2007, Fasting plasma glucose levels in healthy preschool children: Effects of weight and lifestyle, Acta Paediatr., 96, 706, 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00253.x · DOI
  34. McKenzie, 2008, Environmental correlates of physical activity in Mexican American children at home, J. Phys. Act. Health, 5, 579, 10.1123/jpah.5.4.579 · DOI
  35. McKenzie, 1992, Anglo- and Mexican-American preschoolers at home and at recess: Activity patterns and environmental influences, J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr., 13, 173, 10.1097/00004703-199206000-00004 · DOI
  36. Sallis, 1993, Correlates of Physical Activity at Home in Mexican-American and Anglo-American Preschool Children, Heal. Psychol., 12, 390, 10.1037/0278-6133.12.5.390 · DOI
  37. Dunton, 2011, Physical and social contextual influences on children’ s leisure-time physical activity : an ecological momentary assessment study, J. Phys. Act. Heal., 8, 103, 10.1123/jpah.8.s1.s103 · DOI
  38. Klinker, C.D., Schipperijn, J., Kerr, J., Ersboll, A.K., Troelsen, J., Ersbøll, A.K., Troelsen, J., Ersboll, A.K., and Troelsen, J. (2014). Context-specific outdoor time and physical activity among school-children across gender and age: Using accelerometers and GPS to advance methods. Front. Public Heal., 2. · DOI
  39. Raustorp, 2012, Accelerometer measured level of physical activity indoors and outdoors during preschool time in Sweden and the United States, J. Phys. Act. Health, 9, 801, 10.1123/jpah.9.6.801 · DOI
  40. Smith, 2009, Assessment of physical activity levels of 3rd and 4th grade children using pedometers during physical education class, J. Res. Heal. Phys. Educ. Recreat. Sport Danc., 4, 73
  41. Skala, 2012, Environmental characteristics and student physical activity in PE class: Findings from two large urban areas of Texas, J. Phys. Act. Health, 9, 481, 10.1123/jpah.9.4.481 · DOI
  42. Vanderloo, 2013, Physical activity among preschoolers during indoor and outdoor childcare play periods, Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab., 38, 1173, 10.1139/apnm-2013-0137 · DOI
  43. Wheeler, 2010, Greenspace and children’s physical activity: a GPS/GIS analysis of the PEACH project, Prev. Med., 51, 148, 10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.06.001 · DOI · Paper page
  44. Saakslahti, 1999, Is physical activity related to body size, fundamental motor skills, and CHD risk factors in early childhood?, Pediatr. Exerc. Sci., 11, 327, 10.1123/pes.11.4.327 · DOI
  45. Gopinath, 2011, Association between physical activity and blood pressure in prepubertal children, Hypertens. Res. Clin. Exp., 34, 851, 10.1038/hr.2011.46 · DOI
  46. Brown, 2009, Social and environmental factors associated with preschoolers’ nonsedentary physical activity, Child Dev., 80, 45, 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01245.x · DOI · Paper page
  47. DuRant, 1994, The relationship among television watching, physical activity, and body composition of young children, Pediatrics, 94, 449, 10.1542/peds.94.4.449 · DOI · Paper page
  48. Tey, 2007, The Light Time-Use Diary and preschool activity patterns: Exploratory study, Int. J. Pediatr. Obes., 2, 167, 10.1080/17477160701369274 · DOI
  49. Hinkley, T., Salmon, J., Okely, A.D., and Trost, S.G. (2010). Correlates of sedentary behaviours in preschool children: A review. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act., 7. · DOI · Paper page
  50. Dowda, 2004, Influences of preschool policies and practices on children’s physical activity, J. Community Health, 29, 183, 10.1023/B:JOHE.0000022025.77294.af · DOI · Paper page
  51. Copeland, 2012, Societal values and policies may curtail preschool children’s physical activity in child care centers, Pediatrics, 129, 265, 10.1542/peds.2011-2102 · DOI
  52. Schaefer, 2014, Outdoor time is associated with physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness in youth, J. Pediatr., 165, 516, 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.05.029 · DOI
  53. Fjortoft, 2001, The natural environment as a playground for children: The impact of outdoor play activities in pre-primary school children, Early Child. Educ. J., 29, 111, 10.1023/A:1012576913074 · DOI · Paper page
  54. Janssen, I., and Rosu, A. (2015). Undeveloped green space and free-time physical activity in 11 to 13-year-old children. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act., 12. · DOI
  55. Kimbro, 2011, Young children in urban areas: Links among neighborhood characteristics, weight status, outdoor play, and television watching, Soc. Sci. Med., 72, 668, 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.12.015 · DOI
  56. Jankowska, 2015, A framework for using GPS data in physical activity and sedentary behavior studies, Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev., 43, 48, 10.1249/JES.0000000000000035 · DOI
  57. Jerrett, 2008, Traffic-related air pollution and asthma onset in children: A prospective cohort study with individual exposure measurement, Environ. Health Perspect., 116, 1433, 10.1289/ehp.10968 · DOI · Paper page
  58. Sandseter, 2007, Categorising risky play-how can we identify risk-taking in children’s play?, Eur. Early Child. Educ. Res. J., 15, 237
  59. Brussoni, 2015, What is the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children? A systematic review, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 6, 6423, 10.3390/ijerph120606423 · DOI · Paper page
  60. Tremblay, 2014, Physical activity of children: A global matrix of grades comparing 15 countries, J. Phys. Act. Health, 11, S113, 10.1123/jpah.2014-0177 · DOI · Paper page

Cited by

See all 472

Metadata

Authors
Gray, C., Gibbons, R., Larouche, R., Sandseter, E., Bienenstock, A., Brussoni, M., Chabot, G., Herrington, S., Janssen, I., Pickett, W., Power, M., Stanger, N., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M.
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2015-06-08
Volume
12
Issue
6
Pages
6455-6474
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2138675738
Cited by
472
References
9
FWCI
2.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
gold

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

How to cite

Cite CoChat for the checks on this page, and the paper for its own findings.

This page
CoChat. (2026). Citation check: What Is the Relationship between Outdoor Time and Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Physical Fitness in Children? A Systematic Review. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.3390/ijerph120606455
The paper
Gray, C., Gibbons, R., Larouche, R., Sandseter, E., Bienenstock, A., Brussoni, M., Chabot, G., Herrington, S., Janssen, I., Pickett, W., Power, M., Stanger, N., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M. (2015). What Is the Relationship between Outdoor Time and Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Physical Fitness in Children? A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606455

Data sources

Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.

Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).

Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.