There are several factors that influence the amount of physical activity children participate in. Recent research utilizing self-reported data demonstrated that both lean and overweight children were more likely to engage in physical activity when with peers (in unorganized setting) compared to when they are alone (Salvy, 2008). The purpose of this study is to determine the amount and intensity of physical activity children perform in a controlled setting, by themselves, with a peer who is of similar weight and with a peer of different weight.
During each of the three conditions, children were fitted with an accelerometer and had access to both physical activities and sedentary activities for a total of 30 minutes. The total number of accelerometer counts, sedentary and physical activity time, liking, and RPE for each condition were recorded and compared across all three conditions.
Two-way ANOVAs demonstrated significant group by treatment interactions for accelerometer counts (p = 0.008), sedentary activity time (p = 0.017)and liking (p = 0.009). Overweight boys accumulated fewer accelerometer counts (p = 0.001) and participated in greater amounts of sedentary time (p = 0.007) than lean boys in the alone condition with no differences in the with-peer conditions (p ≥ 0.50). Overweight boys also increased their liking score from the alone condition to the with different weight peer condition, while liking scores for the lean boys were not significantly altered. These results highlight a potentially greater need for peer interaction in the at-risk-for/overweight boys to increase physical activity and liking of that activity.