Smartphone use among college students is prevalent across the world. Recently, research has begun to investigate the relationship between smartphone use and physical activity. This study examined the amount of time spent using a smartphone and the physical activity (PA) levels among college students majoring in health science-related disciplines in the United States (US) and Thailand. Using convenience sampling, college students in the US (n = 242) and Thailand (n = 194) completed an online survey, in Fall 2016, assessing smartphone usage and PA. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and two-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). US students reported more days per week ( $U=\mathrm{15,150.0},p=0.00,r=0.33$ ) and greater duration of PA ( $U=\mathrm{11,234.0},p=0.00,r=0.33$ ) than Thai students while Thai students used smartphones more per day than US students ( $U=\mathrm{13,137.5},p=0.00,r=0.40$ ). No difference existed for years of smartphone use ( $U=\mathrm{22,207.0},p=0.27$ ). Greater smartphone use per day inversely related to days per week of engaging in PA among Thai students ( $X^2\left(3\right)=10.55,p=0.01,{\epsilon }^2=0.06$ ), but not among US students ( $X^2\left(3\right)=2.39,p=0.50$ ). The high smartphone use among college students, especially in Thailand, may be a barrier to PA as well as a strategy for PA promotion in higher education settings. Research should examine the best techniques for smartphone application development to promote PA in college settings.

• Rural adolescents had less physical activity at school than non-rural adolescents. • Rural adolescents had less screen time and active transit trips than non-rural. • Neighborhood resources mediated physical activity/active transportation differences. • Changes in rural environments may promote physical activity and active transit.

ObjectiveTo determine if child care centers in rural, Western North Carolina met recommendations for nutrition and physical activity, if focusing on nutrition and physical activity practices and policies was effective in improving the center environment, and if differences existed between centers affiliated or unaffiliated with schools.MethodsOf 33 child care centers in three counties, 29 submitted mini-grant requests and participated in a pre-post evaluation using Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC). NAP SACC assesses compliance for nutrition and physical activity recommendations and standards. Between October 2011 and April 2012, centers participated in workshops and goal setting specific to nutrition and physical activity.ResultsAt baseline, over 95% of the centers met all recommendations. However, post-intervention, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test (p<0.05) indicated significant improvement across center types in five out of 37 nutrition and seven out of 17 physical activity standards following the intervention. Centers unaffiliated with schools made significant changes in ten nutrition standards, while those affiliated with schools improved in only two standards and decreased on one standard.ConclusionOverall, rural child care centers in Western North Carolina were meeting standards, they were still able to strengthen policies and practices by following NAP SACC. This was especially true for centers unaffiliated with schools. Continued financial support may assist centers in sustaining increased physical activity in children

Geocaching is a way to integrate technology with physical activity. Geocaching utilizes a global positioning receiver system (GPS) that provides coordinates directing participants to find treasures or “caches.” With the continued concern over decreased physical activity participation in youth, it was considered that geocaching may be one way to increase physical activity among youth as its novel, fun, and involves technology. From a programming perspective, geocaching may be used as a large special event, drop-in activity, or after-school program. It can be performed as an individual or group. Since it is a relatively new activity, specifically for youth, we were interested in the factors related to geocaching, including psychosocial factors associated with physical activity participation, to determine if geocaching may be of interest for youth physical activity programming. We recruited youth, aged 14–18 years, from a high school in rural western North Carolina. Since geocaching was a novel activity to this group, we created an infrastructure and made our own geocaching course and developed caches while using the www. geocaching.com website. The caches used were small plastic containers that contained a notebook for participants to record their names once found. These caches were set up using GPS coordinates; however, written instructions and clues were also provided. Finally, participants were placed into groups of three to four, and each group was provided with its own GPS receiver. A sample geocache session that had one cache site with clues was performed by each group to make sure they understand the process. In order to further understand the potential geocaching has for improving physical activity participation in youth we had all participants complete a series of questions. The surveys assessed current PA behaviors as well as psychosocial factors including social support of friends and family, self-efficacy, and PA attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, items were created to determine interest and ability for geocaching for this study, as no other geocache scales were available. Results from the Geocaching Interests/Abilities scale created by the authors indicated youth scored high on questions asking if looking for hidden treasures would be fun and more fun than walking. Youth also reported preferences for being outside and enjoyment in using technology. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between psychosocial variables and reported PA, but little to no relationship between psychosocial variables and Geocaching Interests/Abilities. Results suggest youth are interested in geocaching regardless of gender, reported PA levels, or traditional psychosocial factors such as social support and self-efficacy. The geocaching program we designed would be an easy one to replicate in any after-school setting or youth group. From a practitioner perspective, geocaching may be an effective way to engage youth in physical activity in a nontraditional manner. In order to promote geocaching at a facility developing brochures, providing signage or using social media may assist in providing sites other ways to promote physical activity to clients.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet #Preprint #PeerReviewMe: Warning: This is a unreviewed preprint. Readers are warned that the document has not been peer-reviewed by expert/patient reviewers or an academic editor, may contain misleading claims, and is likely to undergo changes before final publication, if accepted, or may have been rejected/withdrawn. Readers with interest and expertise are encouraged to sign up as peer-reviewer, if the paper is within an open peer-review period. Please cite this preprint only for review purposes or for grant applications and CVs (if you are the author). Background: Several studies support the impact of Information Communication Technology-based interventions to promote physical activity among youth [9, 10]. Despite all the studies suggesting benefits of using technology to promote healthy lifestyles among youth, little is known on how technology can be used by the entire family to encourage healthy behavior that can be sustained over long period of time. Previous studies showed that children and youth rely and are dependent upon decisions and values of their caregivers when it comes to having a healthy lifestyle [11,12]. Thus, the exploration of behavior and attitudes of the entire family are needed. Objective: To explore how the use of physical activity tracking devices (FitBit Zip™) by families in rural communities influence a) participation in physical activity; and b) perception of physical activity. Methods: Eleven families with one to three children of different ages took part in semi-structured group interviews following two weeks of using physical activity tracking devices (FitBit Zip™) as a family. The participants were asked to discuss their experience using the FitBit Zip™ as a family, motivation to be physically active, changes in their pattern of participation in those activities, level of engagement by different family members, and competitiveness with or support of each other. All interviews were voice recorded with the participants’ permission and later transcribed verbatim using pseudonyms. To analyze the data the primary investigator (IS) used open, axial, selective coding techniques. Results: Two themes appeared from the data. Changes in physical activities as a result of using FitBit Zip™ as a family was either absent (lack of interest, already active lifestyle) or minimal (small, naturally occurring changes into everyday life or expanding participation in the activities they were already involved with). However, the participants reported change in attitude and perception of physical activities and healthy lifestyle. As a result of using physical activity tracking devices, the family members reported an increased awareness of their activity level and accountability for being inactive, introduced more conversations about active lifestyle and healthy lifestyle, and changed their view of physical activity to more positive one. Conclusions: While the participation in physical activities as a result of using physical activity tracking devices (FitBit Zip™) by families in rural communities was not significantly changed, the attitude toward participating in physical activity was altered. Considering long term changes in lifestyle, the change in the attitude might have more important impact than the change in the immediate behavior.

Participation in youth sport is positively associated with physical fitness and performance. The purpose of the current study was to examine if physical fitness measures during childhood and early adolescence predicted high school sport participation. Participants included youth in the Michigan State University Motor Performance Study. Measures consisted of the endurance shuttle run, Wells sit-and-reach, jump and reach, standing long jump, agility shuttle run and 30-yard dash. Individual, generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate the association between each measure and the odds of participating in high school sport. For both sexes, the endurance shuttle run and agility shuttle run were related to sport participation. For boys only, the long jump and 30-yard dash were also associated with sport participation. Better physical fitness and performance across several dimensions in childhood, including those related to motor skills, enhanced the likelihood of sport participation in high school.