Using Brain-Breaks® as a Technology Tool to Increase Attitude towards Physical Activity among Students in Singapore.

Govindasamy Balasekaran,Ahmad Arif Bin Ibrahim,Biljana Popeska,Phua Kia Wang,Garry Kuan,J Larry Durstine,Magdalena Mo Ching Mok,Ian Culpan,Ng Yew Cheo,Ming-Kai Chin,Christopher R Edginton

doi:10.3390/brainsci11060784

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of classroom-based Brain Breaks® Physical Activity Solution in Southeast Asia Singaporean primary school students and their attitude towards physical activity (PA) over a ten-week intervention. A total of 113 participants (8–11 years old) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (EG) or a control group (CG), with six classes to each group; the Brain Breaks® group (EG: six classes) and the Control group (CG: six classes). All EG members participated in a Brain Breaks® video intervention (three–five min) during academic classes and the CG continued their lessons as per normal. The student’s attitudes towards PA in both research conditions were evaluated using the self–reported Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS), applied before and after intervention. The effects of the intervention on APAS scores were analysed using a mixed model analysis of variance with Time as within-subject and Group as between-subject factors. The analysis revealed evidence in support of the positive effect of classroom video interventions such as Brain Breaks® on student’s attitudes toward benefits, importance, learning, self-efficacy, fun, fitness, and trying to do their personal best in PA. The Brain Breaks® intervention provided a positive significant impact on students in Singapore. This study also revealed that interactive technology tools implemented into the school curriculum benefit students in terms of health and education.

Highlights

The World Health Organization [1] has defined a person who has a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 kg·m−2 as obese, and ≥25 kg·m−2 as overweight
The videos featured physical movement activities, accompanied with songs and dance, and movements that can be done safely by maintaining adequate social distance between students
The current study reported here made use of the updated version of Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS)

Summary

Introduction

The World Health Organization [1] has defined a person who has a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 kg·m−2 as obese, and ≥25 kg·m−2 as overweight. Research has concluded that Asians tend to carry a higher percentage of body fat as compared to other racial and ethnic groups of the same BMI [2]. The BMI scale for Asians has been lowered (obese: 27.5 kg·m−2, overweight: 23 kg·m−2). Being overweight and obese during childhood years is linked to chronic diseases risk factors such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [3,4]. Childhood obesity can persist into adulthood [5,6,7]. Childhood obesity has been on the rise [8]

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