Segmenting Youth to Promote Physical Activity

(An item from the ISHN Member information service)  An article in the September 2013 issue of the Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport uses a segmentation strategy normally used for communications planning to segment youth by the nature of their leisure time activities. Data were from the National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey in Australia were analyzed and profiles/clusters of youth leisure time activities were constructed. The researchers found that "For boys (n = 930), the Social tasker cluster was characterised by social interaction and chores & work, the Techno-active cluster by team sport and TV and the Techno-studious cluster by video games and study. Average daily pedometer steps, age and remoteness were significant cluster correlates. For the girls (n = 923), the Social screenie cluster was characterised by TV and social interaction, the Quiet actives cluster by quiet time and non-team sport and the Techno-studious cluster by video games and study. Pedometer steps, age, parental income and education, parent–child age difference, “extra foods”, fat and fruit intakes were significant correlates. Distinct sex-specific time use clusters and profiles exist among Australian youth. These findings may assist the development of targeted time use interventions to improve health and well-being." Read more>>