ICook 4-H: 0 to 24-Month Accelerometer-Derived Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Youth

Abstract

To assess accelerometer-derived physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) from 0 to 24-months in iCook 4-H youth. iCook 4-H was a 5-state, randomized control-treatment family-based childhood obesity prevention intervention promoting cooking, eating and playing together. Youth, 9-10 years old, and their main meal preparer participated in the 14-week program followed by monthly newsletters and bi-yearly booster sessions until 24-months. PA and ST were determined for 124 (Intervention=88; Control=36) youth. Youth wore an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer for 7 days at 0, 4, 12, and 24-months. Mean daily minutes of ST, light PA (LPA), moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were evaluated during waking hours. Between and within group differences from 0 to 24 months were determined using linear mixed models (R, 3.2.3, Vienna, Austria, 2015); p ≤ 0.05. There were no between group differences in PA or ST at any time-point. PA at all intensity levels decreased and ST increased for both groups from 0 to 24-months (p≤0.001). The percent of participants meeting the PA guidelines (60 minutes of MVPA per day) decreased from 0 (60.8% intervention, 84.5% control) to 24-months (16% intervention, 0% control). iCook 4-H was a multicomponent program following 9-10 year old youth for 24-months that focused on cooking skills, mealtime behavior and conversation, and enhancing PA through daily activities. Greater emphasis on developing PA skills, changing environmental factors, and increasing PA both in and after school may be needed to prevent the decrease in PA that occurs as children age into adolescence.