Physical Activity of Children with Visual Impairments during Different Segments of the School Day

Abstract

Schools provide opportunities for children with visual impairments (VI) to accumulate recommended daily moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). This study aimed to determine physical activity (PA) across the school day among special school children with VI in China. The study objectively measured the MVPA levels of children with VI during the recess, lunchtime, physical education (PE) classes, before-school, and after-school periods segments on PE days and non-PE days. Moreover, this research compared the gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) differences in MVPA during each segment. A total of 70 children with VI aged 7–17 years (mean age = 13.7; SD = 3.4) from the special school participated in this study. Accelerometers were utilized to measure the MVPA of children with VI. The participants with VI accumulated significantly more MVPA time on PE days than on non-PE days. Before-school periods and structured PE classes showed higher percentages of MVPA time than recess, lunch break, and after-school periods during the school day. Children with VI aged 7–12 years old were significantly more physically active than those aged 13–17 years old during recess, lunch break, and after-school periods. In conclusion, PA interventions during structured PE classes are recommended. Special attention should be provided to children with VI as they grow up to increase their MVPA.

Inertial Measurement Unit Sensors in Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired People, a Review

“…For instance, familial trials were conducted to correlate PA between VI, their parents, and siblings [ 66 ]. While in [ 65 ], the authors studied the PA of children with VI during different segments of the school day from the special school for VI in Xingqing Districts in Yinchuan, China. In this trial, a total of 600 min acceleration was recorded per day, and this input was analyzed within the ActiLife Lifestyle Monitoring System from Actigraph.…”

“…The most frequently used accelerometers included ActiGraph from Actigraph Corp, ADXL from Analog Devices, and KXR from Kionincs. Identify human movement ADXL345 RGB Camera, Ultrasonic Sensor [59] Measures physical activity ActiGraph GT3x N/A [60] Measures physical activity ActiGraph wGT3X-BT N/A [61] Measures physical activity ActiGraph wGT3X-BT N/A [62] Measures physical activity ActiGraph wGT3x+ N/A [63] Sense the foot movements KXR94-2050 N/A [64] Measures physical activity ActiGraph GT3x N/A [65] Measures physical activity ActiGraph GT3x N/A [66] Monitoring of human activities Not specified N/A [67] The Actigraph Corp wearable accelerometers were used in many clinical trials found in the systematic review. The accelerometers were used to measure PA within the VI community, with a major experimental focus on kids and older adults [60][61][62].…”

Adherence to 24‐h movement guidelines among Chinese children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities

“…Teachers and parents of children with disabilities in China focus more on their well‐being, living skills, physical improvements and career planning than academic performance (Qi et al . 2020), which substantially reduces their academic pressure and therefore increases the likelihood of meeting sleep guidelines. Furthermore, this study excluded students with ID who are currently taking medications for sleep disorders.…”

Physical activity and sport practice to improve balance control of visually impaired individuals: a narrative review with future perspectives

“…After that stage, detectable at about the age of eight, a vicious spiral of physical activity disengagement onsets in children showing low motor competence ( 100 – 103 ). Literature has frequently reported that VI children and adolescents, when compared to sighted peers, tend to conduct a more sedentary life and to exhibit lower physical fitness ( 20 , 31 , 62 , 104 – 108 ). This latter, along with a coherent motor skills impairment, seems to arise mostly from low participation in physical and after-school sport activities ( 37 , 94 , 109 – 111 ).…”