Evaluating the Impact of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) on Physical Activity of Older Youth.

Scott T Leatherdale,Wei Qian,Guy Faulkner,Valerie Carson,Kathleen E Burns

doi:10.3390/ijerph18063083

Abstract

(1) Background: The Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) was a community-based obesity prevention intervention funded by the Government of Ontario (Canada). (2) Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to examine the impact of the HKCC on physical activity (PA) outcomes using both repeat cross-sectional (T1 2014–2015, n = 31,548; T2 2015–2016, n = 31,457; and T3 2016–2017, n = 30,454) and longitudinal data (n = 3906) from the COMPASS study. Grade 9–12 students in HKCC communities were placed into one of three intervention groups [T2 data collection post-HKCC finishing (IG1), T2 data collection during HKCC (IG2), and T2 data collection pre-HKCC starting (IG3)], Ontario students in non-HKCC communities were Control Group 1 (CG1) and Alberta students were Control Group 2 (CG2). (3) Results: Repeat cross-sectional results show over time the HKCC had no significant impact on PA outcomes in any of the intervention groups. Longitudinal results show a significant decrease in time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (IG2: −3.15 min/day) between T1 and T3 in IG2. (4) Conclusions: These results suggest the HKCC did not have an impact on improving PA outcomes among older youth in HKCC communities. Moving forward, there is a need to provide effective and sustainable interventions to promote PA among older youth.

Highlights

The 2009–2011 Canadian Measures Health Survey suggests nearly one-third of Canadian youth were classified as either overweight or obese [1]
We examined the impact of IG1, IG2, Intervention Group 3 (IG3), and Control Group 2 (CG2) on: (a) Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) using a longitudinal linear regression model; (b) Strength training (ST) using a longitudinal ordinal regression model; and (c) 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (24-MG) using a longitudinal logistic regression model
IG2 to 128.7 min/day in CG2 and strength training ranged from 2.5 days/week in IG1 to 3.0 days/week in IG3

Summary

Introduction

The 2009–2011 Canadian Measures Health Survey suggests nearly one-third of Canadian youth were classified as either overweight or obese [1]. This is a concern as youth obesity tends to persist later into adulthood [2] and can contribute to the development of numerous negative health outcomes [3]. The HKCC, based on the EPODE (“Ensemble Prévenons l’Obésité Des Enfants”, Together Let’s Prevent Childhood Obesity) methodology [10], was a community-based, multi-sectoral program with the goal of reducing overweight and obesity among infants and children (ages 0–12 years).

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion