Abstract
BackgroundRegular participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is important to manage obesity. Physical education (PE) is considered to play an important role in promoting lifelong participation in physical activity (PA) because it provides an existing network where cost-effective interventions can be implemented to produce sustainable change in health behavior. However, the association between compulsory school PA (e.g., PE lessons) and body composition levels has received mixed support in the literature. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether a school-based intervention targeting salient PA benefits and barriers grounded on the theory of planned behavior would promote young people’s participation in MVPA during leisure time and reduce body mass index (BMI) of overweight students.Methods/designA total of 171 students from 3 secondary schools in Singapore underwent the control condition followed by the intervention condition. Both the conditions consisted of PE lessons twice per week over 4 weeks. In the control condition, PE teachers encouraged students to participate in PA during leisure time without providing persuasive message. While in the intervention condition, PE teachers delivered persuasive messages that targeted the salient benefits and barriers associated with PA to the students at the last 5 to 10 min of each PE lesson. PA levels over a week were measured objectively with wrist-mounted GENEActiv Original accelerometers and subjectively with self-reporting questionnaires three times (Baseline, Post 1, and Post 2) in each condition. Student’s self-reported PA level was measured using the Leisure-Time Physical Activity Participation Questionnaire and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and their attitudes, intentions, subjective norms and perceived behavior control towards leisure-time PA were measured with a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior. Furthermore, students’ intention, determination and willingness to engage in leisure-time PA were compared with the other activity (e.g., doing homework, shopping).DiscussionThis study will provide the evidence on the effectiveness of a cost-effective school-based intervention on reducing BMI of overweight students through promoting sustained participation in leisure-time PA. It will also address methodological issues on the gaps between objective and subjective measures of PA.Trial registrationThis trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN73786157, 26/10/2017, retrospectively registered).
Highlights
Regular participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is important to manage obesity
Theoretical framework Interventions are likely to be successful with motivating individuals to participate in PA when they are based on rigorous theory and their content is informed by theories of human motivation [12, 13]. This is supported by a growing body of literature that shows that theory-based interventions produce more sustainable changes in leisure-time PA when compared to interventions that are not based on theory [14]
Aims of the study The present study aimed to investigate whether a school-based intervention targeting salient PA benefits and barriers grounded on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) would promote young people’s participation in MVPA during leisure time and reduce body mass index (BMI) of overweight students
Summary
Regular participation in MVPA is well recognized as an important strategy to help manage obesity [1]. Implications of study findings The findings of this study would have significant contribution for schools and physical educators to manage obesity through promoting regular MVPA participation This is important because it will address the challenges faced by teachers and health professionals in motivating children to engage in PA via school-based interventions. If the intervention program is effective in increasing PA participation relative to the control condition, the present research project could have important implications for education because such a finding would indicate that it is possible to maximize effectiveness of existing school programs (e.g., PE lessons) through brief intervention sessions that can be incorporated in lessons This is a significant implication, considering that school programs are not always effective in promoting sustained leisure-time PA participation [9]. The cost-effectiveness analysis will provide important information to policy-makers about whether the current intervention program is valuable economically
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