Nurse facilitated 5000m running at Parkrun improves vulnerable adolescent health in a high deprivation area: A matched pair randomized control trial.

Abstract

To examine the effect of weekly nurse facilitated 5000m running at Parkrun on markers of health in vulnerable adolescents from a high deprivation area. A matched pair randomized control trial. Twenty-five adolescents aged 13-18, 90% identifying as Māori/Pasifika ethnicity. The intervention (INT) group participated in 6-10 Parkruns within 10weeks, and a control group (CON) participated in one Parkrun only. A nurse facilitated the intervention offering support and encouragement at each Parkrun. Pre- and post-intervention testing sessions for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), glycated hemoglobin, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), body fat, and hand grip strength (STR) were conducted. Parkrun improved CRF (F=5.308, p=0.035) and 5000m time (t=2.850, p=0.019) by 5.5±4.9min (11.2%). Parkrun conferred a large beneficial effect on CRF (η2=0.249) a moderate beneficial effect on glycated hemoglobin levels (η2=0.119), and small beneficial effects upon SMM (η2=0.037) and body fat (η2=0.017). A weekly dose of nurse facilitated Parkrun can be recommended as a simple, accessible intervention that confers multiple beneficial effects on markers for health in adolescents from a high deprivation area.