Russell R Pate1, William H Brown2, Karin A Pfeiffer3, Erin K Howie4, Ruth P Saunders5, Cheryl L Addy6, Marsha Dowda4. 1. Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. Electronic address: rpate@mailbox.sc.edu. 2. Department of Educational Studies, College of Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 3. Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. 4. Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 5. Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. 6. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: A majority of preschool-aged children spend a significant portion of every weekday in a preschool or child care setting, where they typically participate in limited physical activity. This study determined if an ecologic physical activity intervention in preschools increases children's moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). DESIGN: RCT, with preschool as the unit of randomization and analysis. Child physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Mixed model analysis of covariance with preschool as a random variable was used to test the effects of the intervention on physical activity in the total group and in sex-specific subgroups. Data were collected in 2008-2010 and analyzed in 2012-2014. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Children in 4-year-olds' classrooms in 16 preschools, pair matched and assigned to intervention or control groups. INTERVENTION: The intervention focused on increasing children's physical activity by changing instructional practices. Researchers trained preschool teachers to engage children in physical activity during (1) structured, teacher-led physical activity opportunities in the classroom; (2) structured and unstructured physical activity opportunities at recess; and (3) physical activity integrated into pre-academic lessons. Research staff encouraged teachers to adapt the intervention to their classrooms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Minutes/hour of MVPA during the preschool day. RESULTS: In an analytic sample of 379 children (188 intervention, 191 control), those in the intervention schools engaged in significantly more MVPA than children in control schools (7.4 and 6.6 minutes/hour, respectively). This difference remained significant after adjusting for parent education and length of the school day (half versus full day). In the sex-specific analyses, the difference was significant for girls (6.8 vs 6.1 minutes/hour of MVPA, respectively) but not for boys (7.9 vs 7.2 minutes/hour, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A flexible ecologic physical activity intervention that trains teachers to provide children with opportunities to be active throughout the school day increased MVPA in preschool children.
RCT Entities:
INTRODUCTION: A majority of preschool-aged children spend a significant portion of every weekday in a preschool or child care setting, where they typically participate in limited physical activity. This study determined if an ecologic physical activity intervention in preschools increases children's moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). DESIGN: RCT, with preschool as the unit of randomization and analysis. Child physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Mixed model analysis of covariance with preschool as a random variable was used to test the effects of the intervention on physical activity in the total group and in sex-specific subgroups. Data were collected in 2008-2010 and analyzed in 2012-2014. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Children in 4-year-olds' classrooms in 16 preschools, pair matched and assigned to intervention or control groups. INTERVENTION: The intervention focused on increasing children's physical activity by changing instructional practices. Researchers trained preschool teachers to engage children in physical activity during (1) structured, teacher-led physical activity opportunities in the classroom; (2) structured and unstructured physical activity opportunities at recess; and (3) physical activity integrated into pre-academic lessons. Research staff encouraged teachers to adapt the intervention to their classrooms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Minutes/hour of MVPA during the preschool day. RESULTS: In an analytic sample of 379 children (188 intervention, 191 control), those in the intervention schools engaged in significantly more MVPA than children in control schools (7.4 and 6.6 minutes/hour, respectively). This difference remained significant after adjusting for parent education and length of the school day (half versus full day). In the sex-specific analyses, the difference was significant for girls (6.8 vs 6.1 minutes/hour of MVPA, respectively) but not for boys (7.9 vs 7.2 minutes/hour, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A flexible ecologic physical activity intervention that trains teachers to provide children with opportunities to be active throughout the school day increased MVPA in preschool children.
Authors: Russell R Pate; Michael G Davis; Thomas N Robinson; Elaine J Stone; Thomas L McKenzie; Judith C Young Journal: Circulation Date: 2006-08-14 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Sharon E Taverno Ross; Patricia I Documet; Russell R Pate; Ivonne Smith-Tapia; Lisa M Wisniewski; Bethany B Gibbs Journal: Transl J Am Coll Sports Med Date: 2017-07-15
Authors: Ruth P Saunders; Michaela A Schenkelberg; Christina Moyer; Erin K Howie; William H Brown; Russell R Pate Journal: Transl Behav Med Date: 2019-11-25 Impact factor: 3.046
Authors: Ruth P Saunders; Karin Pfeiffer; William H Brown; Erin K Howie; Marsha Dowda; Jennifer R O'Neill; Kerry McIver; Russell R Pate Journal: Health Educ Behav Date: 2017-01-04
Authors: Patrizia Tortella; Monika Haga; Håvard Lorås; Guido Francesco Fumagalli; Hermundur Sigmundsson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-22 Impact factor: 4.614