CONTROLLED TRIAL OF A STRUCTURED INTERVENTION ON ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS IN 3???4 YEAR OLDS

Abstract

An epidemic of obesity occurred in British children during the 1990's. Even young children were affected, and the epidemic occurred largely as a result of reduced physical activity (PA). However, there is a dearth of evidence on the efficacy of programs to increase PA in young children. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that PA and motor skills can be increased by the implementation of a structured intervention (“Topstart”, Youth Sport Trust, Loughborough, UK) in 3–4 year olds. In 31 children (mean age 4.5 years), “Topstart” was incorporated into the kindergarten curriculum (90 minutes per week over 11 weeks) and a matched group of 28 children (mean age 4.6 years) acted as controls. We measured change before and after the intervention in PA by Computer Science and Applications (CSA) accelerometry and changes in motor skills using Sheridan's developmental milestones. In the intervention group PA increased significantly over the period, by around 30% (p < 0.01), but there was no significant change in controls. In both groups motor skills test scores increased significantly, but the magnitude of the change from baseline was significantly greater in the intervention group (p < 0.01). “Topstart” was also very practical: easily incorporated into the curriculum; enjoyed by children and staff. This structured intervention represents a potentially useful population-based intervention for increasing physical activity levels and improving motor skills in young children. It should be tested on a wider scale.