AIM: To assess the impact of a multistrategy intervention designed to improve teachers' implementation of a school physical activity (PA) policy on student PA levels. METHODS: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 12 elementary schools. Policy implementation required schools to deliver 150 minutes of organized PA for students each week via physical education, sport, or class-based activities such as energizers. Schools received implementation support designed using the theoretical domains framework to help them implement the current policy. RESULTS: A total of 1,502 children in kindergarten to grade 6 participated. At follow-up compared with control, students attending intervention schools had, measured via accelerometer, significantly greater increases in school day counts per minute (97.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 64.5 to 130.4; P < .001) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (3.0; 95% CI, 2.2-3.8, P < .001) and a greater decrease in sedentary time (-2.1; 95% CI, -3.9 to -0.4, P = .02) per school day. Teachers in intervention schools delivered significantly more minutes (36.6 min) of PA to their students at follow-up (95% CI, 2.7-70.5, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Supporting teachers to implement a PA policy improves student PA. Additional strategies may be needed to support teachers to implement activities that result in larger gains in student MVPA.
RCT Entities:
AIM: To assess the impact of a multistrategy intervention designed to improve teachers' implementation of a school physical activity (PA) policy on student PA levels. METHODS: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 12 elementary schools. Policy implementation required schools to deliver 150 minutes of organized PA for students each week via physical education, sport, or class-based activities such as energizers. Schools received implementation support designed using the theoretical domains framework to help them implement the current policy. RESULTS: A total of 1,502 children in kindergarten to grade 6 participated. At follow-up compared with control, students attending intervention schools had, measured via accelerometer, significantly greater increases in school day counts per minute (97.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 64.5 to 130.4; P < .001) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (3.0; 95% CI, 2.2-3.8, P < .001) and a greater decrease in sedentary time (-2.1; 95% CI, -3.9 to -0.4, P = .02) per school day. Teachers in intervention schools delivered significantly more minutes (36.6 min) of PA to their students at follow-up (95% CI, 2.7-70.5, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Supporting teachers to implement a PA policy improves student PA. Additional strategies may be needed to support teachers to implement activities that result in larger gains in student MVPA.
Authors: Courtney Barnes; Sam McCrabb; Fiona Stacey; Nicole Nathan; Sze Lin Yoong; Alice Grady; Rachel Sutherland; Rebecca Hodder; Christine Innes-Hughes; Marc Davies; Luke Wolfenden Journal: Transl Behav Med Date: 2021-07-29 Impact factor: 3.046
Authors: Luke Wolfenden; Sam McCrabb; Courtney Barnes; Kate M O'Brien; Kwok W Ng; Nicole K Nathan; Rachel Sutherland; Rebecca K Hodder; Flora Tzelepis; Erin Nolan; Christopher M Williams; Sze Lin Yoong Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2022-08-29
Authors: Blake Densley; Hannah G Calvert; Peter Boedeker; Lindsey Turner Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-23 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Courtney Barnes; Sze Lin Yoong; Nicole Nathan; Luke Wolfenden; Taya Wedesweiler; Jayde Kerr; Dianne S Ward; Alice Grady Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2021-12-15 Impact factor: 5.428