OBJECTIVES We examined the impact of relatively "green" or natural settings on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms across diverse subpopulations of children. METHODS Parents nationwide rated the aftereffects of 49 common after-school and weekend activities on children's symptoms. Aftereffects were compared for activities conducted in green outdoor settings versus those co...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the sources of high concentrations of particles of < 10 microns diameter (PM10) in classrooms, observed in a previous study on childhood exposure to PM10, and to study the correlation between classroom and outdoor concentrations of mass and elements of PM10. METHODS Measurements of PM10 were conducted in two schools and outdoors in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Averagi...

OBJECTIVE A randomized controlled pilot study to test the hypothesis that increasing preschool children's outdoor free play time increases their daily physical activity levels. METHODS Physical activity was assessed by accelerometers for four consecutive school days in thirty-two Latino children (3.6+/-0.5 years) attending a preschool for low-income families. After two days of baseline physic...

There are few studies about school-environment in relation to pupils' respiratory health, and Korean school-environment has not been characterized. All pupils in 4th grade in 12 selected schools in three urban cities in Korea received a questionnaire (n = 2,453), 96% participated. Gaseous pollutants and ultrafine particles (UFPs) were measured indoors (n = 34) and outdoors (n = 12) during winte...

INTRODUCTION Indoor air quality (IAQ) is rated as a serious public health issue. Knowing children are accounted as more vulnerable to environmental health hazards, data are needed on air quality in schools. METHODS A project was conducted from 2007 until 2009 (SEARCH, School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children), aiming to verify links between IAQ and children's respiratory health. ...

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in nursery school is believed to be different from elementary school. Moreover, younger children are more vulnerable to air pollution than higher grade children because they spend more time indoors, and their immune systems and bodies are less mature. The purpose of this study was to compare the concentrations of the monoaromatic volatile benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene ...

OBJECTIVE To study the associations between: 1) number of permanent outdoor play facilities per pupil and 2) the size of the outdoor play area per pupil with sedentary time and physical activity (PA) during school hours in six-, nine-, and 15-year olds. We conducted a cross-sectional study of nationally representative samples of Norwegian six- (n = 1071), nine- (n = 1421) and 15-year-olds (n = ...

This paper presents data from a mixed-method pilot study (n = 84) searching into learning psychological aspects of an outdoor science teaching program. We use data from qualitative explorations into the pupils' learning motivation during field observation, a group interview, and open questionnaires, in order to understand quantitative measures from the Self-Determination Index (SDI), and the Pr...

BACKGROUND A youths' neighborhood can play an important role in their physical, health, and emotional development. The prevalence of health risk behavior (HRB) in Czech youth such as smoking, drug and alcohol use is the highest in Europe. AIM To analyze differences in HRB in youth residents within different types of Prague's neighborhoods in relation to the perception of the built environment...

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of evaporation and condensation on the underfloor space of Japanese detached houses. In this underfloor space, natural ventilation is applied. A typical Japanese wooden detached house is raised 0.3–0.5 m over an underfloor space made of concrete. The bottom of the underfloor space is usually paved with concrete, and the ceiling whi...