Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are increasingly common problems in the general population, which can lead to overweight, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and decreased motor and cognitive capacity among children and adolescents. Establishing healthy habits in childhood on the basis of the World Health Organization’s 2020 Physical Activity Guidelines is essential for proper physical, motor, and cognitive development. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to describe the level of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep of the child and adolescent population from 6 to 17 years of age in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC). Our secondary aim is to establish a starting point for future research and intervention protocols to improve the existing reality. Methods: This cross-sectional study aims to recruit 1111 children and adolescents, aged 6 to 17 years from the BAC in a representative random sample. Participants will wear the ActiGraph WGT3X-BT triaxial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days in their nondominant wrist, and fill out a habit diary log of PA, mobility, and sleep routine. PA intensities, sedentary behavior, and sleep parameters (total bedtime, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency) will be calculated from raw accelerometer data using SPSS (IBM Corp). Participants will be randomly selected. Results: The results of this study intend to demonstrate significant differences in PA levels in different age and gender groups since the volume of school PA in the BAC decreases as the age of the schoolchildren increases. The total study sample includes 1111 participants. In April 2021, up to 50% of the sample size was reached, which is expected to increase to 100% by April 2022. This sample will allow us to analyze, discuss, compare, and assess the reality of the school population, in a sensitive period of adherence to behavior patterns, using data from the geographical and administrative area of the BAC. This study will provide a realistic insight into PA levels among children and adolescents in the BAC. It will also offer scientific contributions on the positive relationship between PA levels and sleep quality in this population. Conclusions: This study might highlight the need for the promotion of cross-sectional policies so that children and adolescents may increase their levels of PA, thus improving both the school environment and positive healthy behavior. Trial Registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN65573865; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN65573865 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/31325

El presente trabajo recoge la experiencia piloto de una propuesta didáctica basada en la práctica del canicross. El programa educativo llamado “KorriCan”, llevado a cabo a través de una formación específica y la práctica de este deporte en clases de educación física, tiene como objetivo fomentar el canicross entre la población escolar aunando los beneficios de su práctica deportiva, los entornos naturales donde se realiza y la interacción con los animales. En conclusión, “KorriCan” parte como una propuesta educativa innovadora para fomentar la actividad física a través del canicross y concienciar al alumnado sobre su importancia en la salud promoviendo a su vez la adquisición de valores de respeto, responsabilidad y empatía hacia los animales. Palabras clave: canicross, educación física, innovación educativa, actividades físicas en el medio natural, salud This paper presents a pilot experience of a didactic proposal based on the practice of canicross. The educational programme called “KorriCan”, carried out through specific training and the practice of this sport in physical education classes, aims to promote canicross among the school population combining the benefits of the practice of canicross, the natural environments where it is practised and the interaction with animals. In conclusion, “KorriCan” begins as an innovative educational proposal to promote physical activity through canicross and raise awareness among students about its importance in health while promoting the acquisition of values of respect, responsibility and empathy towards animals. Keywords: canicross, physical education, educational innovation, physical activities in the natural environment, health

Canicross is a sport that consists of running while being pulled by a dog in a natural environment. Due to the benefits to health and well-being that it brings to the people and dogs that practise it, this sport could be implemented as an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) in the educational field. Against this background, the present work describes a pilot experience carried out in an educational centre in the Basque Country for the implementation of canicross as an extracurricular sports activity. The main objective is to describe the educational potential of canicross as an extracurricular activity that fosters students’ values of respect for animals and physical activity (PA) in natural environments. The results of this innovative experience provide the first evidence of the valuable role of animal activities in this educational context, where current academic research is practically non-existent. In conclusion, we highlight the novelty of the proposal and the motivating effect that the dogs in this case had among the students in encouraging them to practise PA and adhere to values of respect and animal welfare.

BACKGROUND Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are increasingly common problems in the general population, which can lead to overweight, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and decreased motor and cognitive capacity among children and adolescents. Establishing healthy habits in childhood on the basis of the World Health Organization’s 2020 Physical Activity Guidelines is essential for proper physical, motor, and cognitive development. OBJECTIVE The primary aim of this study is to describe the level of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep of the child and adolescent population from 6 to 17 years of age in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC). Our secondary aim is to establish a starting point for future research and intervention protocols to improve the existing reality. METHODS This cross-sectional study aims to recruit 1111 children and adolescents, aged 6 to 17 years from the BAC in a representative random sample. Participants will wear the ActiGraph WGT3X-BT triaxial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days in their nondominant wrist, and fill out a habit diary log of PA, mobility, and sleep routine. PA intensities, sedentary behavior, and sleep parameters (total bedtime, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency) will be calculated from raw accelerometer data using SPSS (IBM Corp). Participants will be randomly selected. RESULTS The results of this study intend to demonstrate significant differences in PA levels in different age and gender groups since the volume of school PA in the BAC decreases as the age of the schoolchildren increases. The total study sample includes 1111 participants. In April 2021, up to 50% of the sample size was reached, which is expected to increase to 100% by April 2022. This sample will allow us to analyze, discuss, compare, and assess the reality of the school population, in a sensitive period of adherence to behavior patterns, using data from the geographical and administrative area of the BAC. This study will provide a realistic insight into PA levels among children and adolescents in the BAC. It will also offer scientific contributions on the positive relationship between PA levels and sleep quality in this population. CONCLUSIONS This study might highlight the need for the promotion of cross-sectional policies so that children and adolescents may increase their levels of PA, thus improving both the school environment and positive healthy behavior. CLINICALTRIAL ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN65573865; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN65573865 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/31325