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INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVE

METHODS

RESULTS

Figure 3. Student Working on Bell Pepper Field of Tucson Village Farm

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSION

Gardening as a Form of Physical ActivityAdy Meléndez M.1, Elizabeth W. Sparks2, Bobby Wyatt3, Brittney R. Taylor3, Melissa A. Wyatt3, Nobuko (Kay) Hongu3

1Universidad Autónoma de Cuidad Juárez, 2Cooperativa Extension, Pima County Office, 3Department of Nutritional Sciences

Source: Meléndez Molina, A., (Photographer). (2015). Bell Pepper Field. [Photograph]. Arizona, United States.

To explore whether gardening is a viable way to increase physical activity, helping children and adults reduce sedentary behaviors.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSUniversidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez.

Tucson Village Farm, the Pima County Cooperative Extension, the University of Arizona

1. World Health Organization (2015) Obesity and over weight. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/

2. Park, S. (2007). Introduction. In Gardening as a Physical Activity for Health in Older Adults. (1st ed., Vol. 1). Manhattan, Kansas: Kansas State University.

3. Bertoldo Benedetti, T., Justino Borges, L., Luiz Petroski, E., & Hisako Takase Gonçalves, L. (2008). Physical activity and mental health status among elderly people. Rev. Saúde Pública.

4. Fitbit Inc. "How Does My Tracker Count Steps?" Fitbit Help. Fitbit Inc., 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 1 July 2015.

• The obesity is a disease recognized as a global epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) that involves a high cost for the individual, society and health systems. [1]

• On the other hand, most adults and children do not meet the guidelines for regular physical activity.

• For these reasons, it necessitates the creation of innovative and creative programs that encourage physical activity beyond clinical interventions.

• Gardening is a common leisure time physical activity that is considered to be aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.

1. Gardening is not just involved a wide variety of movements, but also promotes moderate-intensity physical activity.

2. The results of this study show insight into the potential of gardening for promoting physical activity in children and adults.

3. Limitation: There were some gardening activities that were not detected by Fitbit, triaxial accelerometer, activity monitor.

4. This project will be continued to collect energy expenditure data with various body positioning (sitting, standing, etc) and resistance-type activity during gardening.

1. Review on literature of Activity Quantity on Gardening- Gardening is a moderate intensity activity.

[2]- Gardening is related to improvement of

physical and psychosocial health.[1]2. Searching University of Arizona Extension

Program- Tucson Village Farm was selected for its

program designed, convenient location, educational compromise and openness to volunteering.

3. Measure of Physical Activity Intensities (See Fig.1)

- Several students participated on gardening tasks while they were wearing Fitbit Ultra (Fitbit Inc, San Francisco, California).

- Fitbit tracks the movements of the body and gives validated physical activity measurements.

- The data was analyzed and interpreted.

REFERENCES

Figure 1. Process of Measure of Physical Activity Intensities Source: Meléndez Molina, A

Figure 2. Measurements of Gardening

According to the monitored data, gardening can be classified as moderate-intensity physical activity

Study subject Date Kcal per hourFemale, 21 years old (a) July 21 244Female, 21 years old (a) July 23 155Female, 21 years old (a) July 27 203Female, 22 years old (b) July 27 516Female, 21 years old (a) July 28 256

Average estimated Kcal/hour during gardening tasks 275

Table 1. Estimated Calories Expended during Gardening

Fitbit – UltraClipped to the user’s belt

Based on proprietary algorithms, the device estimates numbers of steps taken, stairs climbed, distance walked, and calories burned.