R ESEARCH A RTICLE The Association Between Socio-Ecological Factors and Having an After-School Physical Activity Program RAGNAR VAN ACKER, MA a ILSE DE BOURDEAUDHUIJ, PhD b KRISTINE DE MARTELAER, PhD c JAN SEGHERS, PhD d KATRIEN DE COCKER, PhD e GREET CARDON, PhD f ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: After-school physical activity (PA) programs promote PA among youth. Few studies have used socio-ecological health models to identify barriers and facilitators of after-school PA programs. This study examined which socio-ecological factors are associated with having an after-school PA program. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to key representatives of 114 elementary and 129 secondary schools. The association between socio-ecological factors and having an after-school PA program was analyzed at school level. RESULTS: In both types of schools more knowledge about community schools was positively associated with having an after- school PA program (odds ratio [OR] = 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-3.27; OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.27-2.80, respectively). In elementary schools, environmental factors associated with having an after-school PA program included PA facilities (OR = 4.98; 95% CI = 1.08-23.05), a PA working group (OR = 3.37; 95% CI = 1.02-11.10), agreements with the community (OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.05-2.43), shortage of human resources (OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.37-0.89) and lack of support from teachers (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.33-0.80). In secondary schools, environmental factors included the presence of a remunerated coordinator (OR = 5.12; 95% CI = 1.38-19.10) and partnerships with ‘‘sport and PA leaders’’ (OR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.01-12.41). CONCLUSION: Having an after-school PA program was associated with personal and environmental factors, which supports the use of socio-ecological frameworks for explorative and intervention studies aiming to increase after-school PA programs. Keywords: health policy; program planning; child and adolescent health. Citation: Van Acker R, De Bourdeaudhuij I, De Martelaer K, Seghers J, De Cocker K, Cardon G. The association between socio-ecological factors and having an after-school physical activity program. J Sch Health. 2012; 82: 395-403. I nternational studies have found temporal trends of decreased physical activity (PA) levels in youth. 1,2 As a result, a large percentage of youth does not achieve the public health guidelines of 60 minutes moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) per day. 3-5 Because most youth attend school regularly, schools are considered to be one of the preferred intervention environments for increasing daily PA. 6,7 Specifically, a whole-of-school approach through the provision of curricular and extracurricular programs, including after-school programs, has been recommended to promote PA in youth. 6,8,9 However, constrained schoolfunding and lack of time due to demand for a Graduate Research Assistant, (ragnar.vanacker@ugent.be), Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium. b Professor, (ilse.debourdeaudhuij@ugent.be), Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium. c Associate Professor, (kdmartel@vub.ac.be), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Movement and Sports Training, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium. d Assistant Professor, (jan.seghers@faber.kuleuven.be), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Department of Human Kinesiology, Tervuursevest 101 - bus 1500, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium. e Graduate Research Assistant, (katrien.decocker@ugent.be), Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium. f Associate Professor, (greet.cardon@ugent.be), Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Address correspondence to: Ragnar Van Acker, Graduate Research Assistant, (ragnar.vanacker@ugent.be), Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Gent, Belgium. This study was supported by the Policy Research Centre Culture, Youth and Sport funded by the Flemish Government. schools to improve pupils’ academic achievement have led to decreased time for physical education (PE) and PA programs during schoolhours. 10,11 Although PA interventions during schoolhours remain important, after-school programs are emerging as a key behavioral setting to promote health-enhancing levels of PA in both children and adolescents. 12,13 According to Trost and colleagues, after-school programs can provide up to one third of a child’s recommended daily 60 minutes of MVPA. 13 Helping schools to offer after-school PA programs and other PA opportunities should, therefore, be a public health priority. 14 Consequently, it is necessary Journal of School Health • September 2012, Vol. 82, No. 9 •  2012, American School Health Association • 395