After-school Physical Activity Program Research Articles

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of Children in Afterschool Programs: An Accelerometer-Based Analysis in Full-Day and Half-Day Elementary Schools in Germany.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) and reduced sedentary behavior (SB) are positively related to children's health and considered as pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Full-day schools with their afterschool programs (ASPs) have an impact on children's daily PA and SB. Studies investigating PA and SB in ASPs, which compare PA and SB between the organizational forms full-day and half-day schools, are rare. The aim of this study is to describe elementary school children's PA and SB during ASPs and to compare the results to other time periods of the day, e.g., teaching hours and leisure time. Additionally, PA and SB of children in full-day and half-day schools are compared. Further, relevant factors influencing the achievement of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) PA guidelines for children, e.g., time spent in ASPs, are investigated.Methods: PA and SB of 332 German students (n = 198 full-day school children; n = 134 half-day school children) from 11 different elementary schools were measured via accelerometry for 5 consecutive days within one school week in 2017. PA and SB during ASPs and other times of the day were analyzed via one-way and factorial ANOVA, correlation, and logistic regression.Results: Children attending full-day schools show the highest percentage of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (13.7%) and the lowest percentage of SB (49.5%) during ASPs, in comparison with teaching hours and leisure time. In the afternoon hours, full-day school children show 20 min less SB than half-day school children. Children spending more time in ASPs obtain significantly more SB (r = 0.23) and less MVPA (r = −0.15). Further, they less likely reach WHO's PA guidelines odds ratio (OR = 0.98).Conclusion: Peers and the choice as well as offer of extracurricular activities promote PA in ASPs. Media availability leads to higher SB in leisure time. ASPs help to be more active and less sedentary. Time spent in ASPs should be limited, so that full-day school children still have the possibility to join other PA offers in leisure time. ASP time should contain a certain minimum amount of MVPA in line with ASP guidelines.

An Exercise-based Didactic Strategy In Physical Education Increases Motor Skills In Preschool Children: A Pilot Study

Physical education (PE) in preschool aims for the corporal and motor skills development in children, nevertheless the evaluation strategies of acquired skills has been neglected in Mexican public school system. Since 2018 only PE teachers are responsible to teach classes, and a collaboration between public institutions allowed us to launch a pilot study of PE classes based on motor skills circuits called “motor action circuits” as an effective tool to develop motor skills. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of an exercise-based didactic strategy on the PE curricula on motor skills performance in children. METHODS: Five boys (Age = 5.2 ± 0.4 yr.) and nine girls (Age= 5.1 ± 0.3 yr.) participated in the study. Exclusion criteria for children were having a major pathology, pharmacological therapy, and enrollment in after-school physical activity programs. Children attended three 30-min lessons in non-consecutive days per week under the supervision of two trained female PE teachers. Motor skills were measured by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) test. Two-way (2 genders x 2 measurements) mixed ANOVA were computed for motor skills performance using the GraphPad Prism software. RESULTS: The assumption of normality was met by the Shapiro-Wilk test for girls (W = 0.849) and boys (W = 0.807). A better performance was found on threading beads (Pre = 1.7 ± 0.5 vs. Post = 1.1 ± 0.5 min, p = 0.0004) and posting coins with the preferred hand (Pre = 26.5 ± 2.1 vs. Post = 21.8 ± 5.0 s, p < 0.0001). A significant improvement was found on throwing at a wall target with the right arm (Pre = 2.8 ± 0.1 vs. Post = 3.8 ± 0.2 hits, p = 0.02), the left arm (Pre = 2.4 ± 0.2 vs. Post = 3.8 ± 0.08 hits, p = 0.0001), throwing a bean bag into a box (Pre = 0.4 ± 0.2 vs. Post = 4.1 ± 1.2 hits, p = 0.0038), maintaining one-board balance with the preferred leg (Pre = 12.3 ± 8.4 vs. Post = 26.7 ± 7.7 s, p = 0.0007), and one-board balance with the other leg (Pre = 10.3 ± 5.9 vs. Post = 23.6 ± 6.9 s, p = 0.0011). CONCLUSION: Significant motor skill performance improvements were observed in children attending an exercise-based didactic strategy on the PE program, which highlights the need to increase physical activity at early ages in Mexican children.

Exercise and Academic Performance Among Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Disruptive Behavior Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To examine effects of a 10-week after-school physical activity (PA) program on academic performance of 6- to 12-year-old African American children with behavior problems. Participants were randomized to PA (n = 19) or sedentary attention control (n = 16) programs. Academic records, curriculum-based measures, and classroom observations were obtained at baseline, postintervention, and/or follow-up. Mixed models tested group × time interactions on academic records and curriculum-based measures. One-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis tested for differences in postintervention classroom observations. Intent-to-treat analyses demonstrated a moderate effect within groups from baseline to postintervention on disciplinary referrals (PA: d = -0.47; attention control: d = -0.36) and a null moderate effect on academic assessments (PA: d = 0.11 to 0.36; attention control: d = 0.05 to 0.40). No significant group × time interactions emerged on direct academic assessments (all Ps ≥ .05, d = -0.23 to 0.26) or academic records (all Ps ≥ .05, d = -0.28 to 0.16). Classroom observations revealed that intervention participants were off-task due to moving at twice the rate of comparative classmates (F = 15.74, P < .001) and were off-task due to talking 33% more often (F = 1.39, P = .257). Academic outcome improvements were small within and between groups and did not sustain at follow-up. Academic benefits of after-school PA programs for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or disruptive behavior disorders were smaller than neurobiological, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes as previously reported.

다문화청소년의 체육특기적성활동 참가와 교우관계 및 문화적응스트레스의 관계

다문화청소년의 체육특기적성활동 참가와 교우관계 및 문화적응스트레스의 관계

Mixed Methods with Strategic Collaborations: Systematically Designing an After-School Physical Activity and Nutrition Program

BACKGROUND Obesity among children is increasing nationwide, and creative solutions beyond traditional programs designed exclusively by academics are needed to achieve lasting success. One innovative approach that departs from the typical model of exclusive academic design incorporates local community input in designing health-related programs. Such input can lead to more relevant programs and community buy in, thereby increasing the likelihood of the effectiveness of the program. One approach that incorporates local community input is called community-based participatory research (CBPR) whereby researchers and community partners work together and use the CBPR principles to create and sustain culturally relevant, impactful programs. OBJECTIVES This paper describes how a mixed-methods CBPR approach was used to formulate and implement a needs assessment survey, and how mini-focus groups were used to reinforce the survey findings. METHODS A survey seeking information about physical activity (PA) and dietary behavior was given to 27 families at a school-based event, and a forward stepwise regression was run to identify significant determinants. The results were presented and discussed with community mini-focus groups (n = 20). RESULTS The regression models were significant (P < 0.05), where parental support of PA and PA beliefs were significant determinants of moderate to vigorous PA, and water intake, whole grain intake, and fruit and vegetable consumption were the top three significant determinants of dietary behavior. Mini-focus groups reinforced the model results. CONCLUSIONS This approach helped identify the determinants that should be addressed when designing an after school program targeting PA and dietary behavior for minority students attending a school in an underserved community.

Mixed Methods with Strategic Collaborations: Systematically Designing an After-School Physical Activity and Nutrition Program

Obesity among children is increasing nationwide, and creative solutions beyond traditional programs designed exclusively by academics are needed to achieve lasting success. One innovative approach that departs from the typical model of exclusive academic design incorporates local community input in designing health-related programs. Such input can lead to more relevant programs and community "buy in," thereby increasing the likelihood of the effectiveness of the program. One approach that incorporates local community input is called community-based participatory research (CBPR) whereby researchers and community partners work together and use the CBPR principles to create and sustain culturally relevant, impactful programs. This paper describes how a mixed-methods CBPR approach was used to formulate and implement a needs assessment survey, and how mini-focus groups were used to reinforce the survey findings. A survey seeking information about physical activity (PA) and dietary behavior was given to 27 families at a school-based event, and a forward stepwise regression was run to identify significant determinants. The results were presented and discussed with community mini-focus groups (n = 20). The regression models were significant (P &lt; 0.05), where parental support of PA and PA beliefs were significant determinants of moderate to vigorous PA, and water intake, whole grain intake, and fruit and vegetable consumption were the top three significant determinants of dietary behavior. Mini-focus groups reinforced the model results. This approach helped identify the determinants that should be addressed when designing an after school program targeting PA and dietary behavior for minority students attending a school in an underserved community.

A revised teaching assistant-led extracurricular physical activity programme for 8- to 10-year-olds: the Action 3:30R feasibility cluster RCT

Background Many children do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. The after-school period may be a critical time for children to participate in physical activity. Teaching assistants are important within the school system and could be trained to deliver after-school physical activity programmes. Our previous work showed that a teaching assistant-led after-school physical activity intervention held promise. Objectives To examine the feasibility, evidence of promise and cost of Action 3:30R, a revised after-school physical activity intervention. Design A cluster-randomised feasibility study, including process and economic evaluations. Setting The setting was 12 primary schools in south-west England. Participants The participants were Year 4 and 5 children (aged 8–10 years). Intervention Two teaching assistants from each intervention school attended a 25-hour (5-day) training course focused on how to deliver an after-school physical activity programme. As Action 3:30 is grounded in self-determination theory, the training focused on promoting children’s autonomy, belonging and competence. Teaching assistants received resources to aid them in delivering a 60-minute after-school physical activity programme twice per week for 15 weeks (i.e. 30 sessions). Main outcome measures Measures focused on feasibility outcomes and evidence of promise. Feasibility measures included the recruitment of schools and pupils and the attendance at the after-school programme. Evidence of promise was measured by comparing accelerometer-determined minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity between the arms at follow-up. Process evaluation measures were conducted using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework. The cost of delivery was also assessed. Results Twelve primary schools were recruited and 41% of eligible pupils consented, 49% of whom were girls. Schools were randomised after baseline measures: six to the intervention arm (n = 170 pupils) and six to the control arm (n = 165 pupils). Two schools allocated to the intervention arm withdrew from the study before the start of the intervention, leaving 111 pupils in the intervention arm. The intervention training was well attended and positively received; eight out of nine teaching assistants attended 100% of the sessions. Action 3:30R clubs were well attended; 74% of pupils attended at least 50% of the 30 sessions. Mean weekday moderate to vigorous physical activity did not differ between the arms at follow-up (–0.5 minutes, 95% confidence interval –4.57 to 3.57 minutes). The process evaluation revealed that Action 3:30R was received positively by pupils, teaching assistants and key contacts in intervention schools. Pupils enjoyed Action 3:30R, and teaching assistants and pupils perceived the teaching style to be autonomy-supportive. Economic evaluation showed that Action 3:30R is inexpensive; the estimated cost of the programme after 1 year was £1.64 per pupil per session. Limitations A reason for withdrawing was given by one school but not by the other. The reason given was an inability to release staff for training. Conclusions Action 3:30R is a low-cost, feasible after-school programme that engages a range of pupils and offers continuing professional development to teaching assistants. However, Action 3:30R does not show evidence of promise in increasing levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity and does not warrant a trial evaluation. Future work Future research should focus on improving the quality of current after-school provision in primary schools to increase physical activity. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN34001941. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 7, No. 19. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Aggie Play: A Gender-Relevant Physical Activity Program for Girls

A majority of U.S. children age 6-17 years do not meet the recommended 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Girls are less likely to meet these daily physical activity guidelines than boys. Following a call for greater gender-relevant physical activity programming, Aggie Play, an after-school physical activity program, engaged female student athletes to serve as active role models who lead girls through high-energy activities twice a week over a school year. The purpose of this study was to explore how Aggie Play affected girls' self-efficacy and expected enjoyment for physical activity, time spent in various physical activity intensities during free play, and fitness, relative to a control group. Results revealed that the girls participating in Aggie Play increased ratings of physical activity self-efficacy and enjoyment compared with girls at a control site. Aggie Play girls also demonstrated greater improvements on the muscle-endurance test than girls at a control site. Results are consistent with prior gender-relevant physical activity and physical education research. This study extends prior results by documenting the benefits of gender-relevant physical activity programming when led by active female role models.

Abstract P125: Cardiovascular Health Improves in High Transportation Vulnerable Girls With Decreased Exposures to Residential Segregation

Introduction: Transportation equity ensures that all citizens benefit from a clean, fair, safe and healthy environment. Residential segregation also impacts health, and transportation disadvantage is particularly high in areas with high segregation, where residents typically lack proximity to quality education, jobs, healthy food, safe playgrounds, and medical care. Recent research demonstrates improvements in cardiovascular risk profiles among minority girls after reduced exposure to segregation. There is a need to examine differences in the segregation-youth cardiovascular health association across transportation vulnerability and gender to inform health equity interventions. Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that girls with reduced segregation exposure and low transportation vulnerability would have the most improved cardiovascular health. Methods: Data for these analyses were drawn from the Fit2Play dataset (2010-2018; N=2742). Youth were followed over 4 consecutive years of participation in a year-long afterschool physical activity program. Change in segregation exposure was based on concentration of minorities living in block groups from the participant’s home to program areas using the 2010 Census. Transportation vulnerability was based on percent of households in the participant’s home zip code with vehicle access (0, 1, 2, or ≥3 vehicles) drawn from the American Community Survey (2012-16). Longitudinal mixed models were used to compare the association between change in residential segregation and five cardiovascular health risk measures (body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, skinfold thickness and 400 meter run tests) stratified by transportation vulnerability and gender. Results: Participants were 54% male, 51% Hispanic, 49% non-Hispanic black, and 52% high poverty (mean age 9.5 years). After accounting for child age, race/ethnicity, poverty, and year, girls with high transportation vulnerability and reduced segregation exposure showed the most reduced cardiovascular health risk profiles, including improvements in body mass index (26%, 95% CI: 23.84, 28.30), skinfold thicknesses (18%, 95% CI: 14.90, 20.46), run time (17%, 95% CI: 14.88, 18.64), systolic blood pressure (15%, 95% CI: 11.96, 17.08), and diastolic blood pressure (12%, 95% CI: 9.09, 14.61). In contrast, no clear patterns emerged for low transportation vulnerable girls, and high or low transportation vulnerable boys. Conclusions: In conclusion, high transportation vulnerable girls exposed to reduced segregation had greater improvements in all cardiovascular health risk outcomes compared with low transportation vulnerable girls, and both high and low transportation vulnerable boys. Transportation equity interventions may provide a means to reduce youth cardiovascular health disparities, particularly for girls living highly segregated areas.

The National After-School Athletics Program Participation as a Tool to Reduce the Risk of Obesity in Adolescents after One Year of Intervention: A Nationwide Study.

Regular exercise during school hours is encouraged; however many children and adolescents fail to meet the recommendations during this time. Extracurricular activities may be a more appealing way for youth to achieve guidelines, and it is recommended that they attend two sessions each week. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of participation in a national physical activity program accompanied by nutritional education for trainers on the risk of obesity and body composition in a nationwide sample of boys and girls, after one year of intervention. The #goathletics Study was conducted in a group of 1014 adolescents aged 12–13: 507 individuals for the Athletics for All program (210 boys, 297 girls) and 507 pair-matched individuals not participating in any physical activity program (matching including: gender, age, city of residence). The body mass (kg), Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg/m2), waist circumference (WC) (cm), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (-) and body composition (%) (measured using bioelectrical impedance method) were compared in a gender-related sub-groups using t-Student test (for parametric distributions) or Mann-Whitney U test (for nonparametric distributions) and chi2 test (for the share of sub-groups). After one year of intervention, lower body mass percentile, BMI percentile, WC, WHtR and fat mass share, higher muscle mass share, as well as lower frequency of overweight/obesity and abdominal fat distribution were observed both for boys and girls participating in the physical activity intervention compared to the pair-matched controls. The after-school physical activity program accompanied by nutritional education for trainers may be a highly effective method for reducing the risk of obesity both for boys and girls, as regular participation is ensured.

Action 3:30R: Results of a Cluster Randomised Feasibility Study of a Revised Teaching Assistant-Led Extracurricular Physical Activity Intervention for 8 to 10 Year Olds.

Many children are not sufficiently physically active. We conducted a cluster-randomised feasibility trial of a revised after-school physical activity (PA) programme delivered by trained teaching assistants (TAs) to assess the potential evidence of promise for increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Participants (n = 335) aged 8–10 years were recruited from 12 primary schools in South West England. Six schools were randomised to receive the intervention and six acted as non-intervention controls. In intervention schools, TAs were trained to deliver an after-school programme for 15 weeks. The difference in mean accelerometer-assessed MVPA between intervention and control schools was assessed at follow-up (T1). The cost of programme delivery was estimated. Two schools did not deliver the intervention, meaning four intervention and six control schools were analysed at T1. There was no evidence for a difference in MVPA at T1 between intervention and control groups. Programme delivery cost was estimated at £2.06 per pupil per session. Existing provision in the 12 schools cost £5.91 per pupil per session. Action 3:30 was feasible to deliver and considerably cheaper than existing after-school provision. No difference in weekday MVPA was observed at T1 between the two groups, thus progression to a full trial is not warranted.

Physical Activity Increases White Matter Microstructure in Children.

Children are becoming increasingly inactive, unfit, and overweight, yet there is relatively little causal evidence regarding the effects of physical activity on brain health during childhood. The present study examined the effects of an after-school physical activity program (FITKids2) on the microstructure of white matter tracts in 7- to 9-year-old children. We measured the microstructural properties of white matter via diffusion tensor imaging in 143 children before and after random assignment to either a 9-month after-school physical activity program (N = 76, mean age = 8.7 years) or a wait list control group (N = 67, mean age = 8.7 years). Our results demonstrate that children who participated in the physical activity program showed increased white matter microstructure in the genu of the corpus callosum, with no changes in white matter microstructure in the wait list control group which reflects typical development. Specifically, children in the physical activity program showed increases in fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreases in radial diffusivity (RD) in the genu from pre- to post-test, thereby suggesting more tightly bundled and structurally compact fibers (FA) and increased myelination (RD), with no changes in estimates of axonal fiber diameter (axial diffusivity, AD). The corpus callosum integrates cognitive, motor, and sensory information between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and the white matter tract plays a role in cognition and behavior. Our findings reinforce the importance of physical activity for brain health during child development.

The application of mHealth to monitor implementation of best practices to support healthy eating and physical activity in afterschool programs.

Childhood obesity continues to be a global epidemic and many child-based settings (e.g. school, afterschool programs) have great potential to make a positive impact on children's health behaviors. Innovative and time-sensitive methods of gathering health behavior information for the purpose of evaluation and strategically deploying support are needed in these settings. The aim is to (1) demonstrate the feasibility of mobile health (mHealth) for monitoring implementation of healthy eating and physical activity (HEPA) standards and, (2) illustrate the utility of mHealth for identifying areas where support is needed, within the afterschool setting. Site leaders (N = 175) of afterschool programs (ASPs) were invited to complete an online observation checklist via a mobile web app (Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Mobile, HEPAm) once per week during ASP operating hours. Auto-generated weekly text reminders were sent to site leaders' mobile devices during spring and fall 2015 and 2016 and spring 2017 school semesters. Data from HEPAm was separated into HEPA variables, and expressed as a percent of checklists where an item was present. A higher percentage for a given item would indicate an afterschool has higher compliance with current HEPA standards. A total of 141 site leaders of ASPs completed 13,960 HEPAm checklists. The average number of checklists completed per ASP was 43 (range 1-220) for healthy eating and 50 (range 1-230) for physical activity. For healthy eating, the most common challenge for ASPs was 'Staff educating children about healthy eating', and for physical activity checklists, 'Girls only physical activity is provided at ASP'. HEPAm was widely used and provided valuable information that can be used to strategically deploy HEPA support to ASPs. This study gives confidence to the adoption of mHealth strategies as a means for public health practitioners to monitor compliance of an initiative or intervention.

Abstract P094: Sex Differences in Fitness Outcomes After Participation in a Park-Based After school Program Among Minority Youth

Introduction: Only 18% of high school girls compared with 37% of boys are reported to meet national physical activity guidelines, but much less is known about sex differences in fitness levels during the elementary and middle school years. This study aimed to describe sex differences in longitudinal fitness outcomes after participation in Fit2Play TM , a park-based afterschool health and wellness program targeting high risk youth ages 6-to-14 years old. Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that over time boys would have more improvement in (1) cardiorespiratory fitness via the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) and 400 meter run test; (2) strength via 1-minute timed push-ups and sit-ups; and (3) flexibility via the sit-and-reach test, versus girls. Methods: Youth who participated in Fit2Play TM for either 1, 2 or 3 school years between 2010-2016 (N=2129, mean age 9.1 years, 52% Hispanic, 48% non-Hispanic black, 54% male) participated in a fitness battery at the beginning and end of the school year(s). Effects of length of Fit2Play TM participation on fitness outcomes were assessed via 3-level repeated measures analysis stratified by sex and adjusted for child sociodemographics, weight category, area poverty, and year. Results: Adjusted models showed significant improvements for both boys and girls in the PACER and 400 meter run tests (p&lt;0.001 for both), with greater magnitude of effects and dose-response trends for girls after up to 3 years of participation in Fit2Play TM . Specifically, from baseline to 1, 2 and 3 years of program participation, girls demonstrated 8% (95% CI: 0.87, 0.97), 14% (95% CI: 0.77, 0.96), and 23% (95% CI: 0.65, 0.92) mean improvement in 400 meter run times versus 9% (95% CI: 0.86, 0.96), 9% (95% CI: 0.82, 1.01), and 17% (95% CI: 0.70, 0.98) for boys, respectively (p&lt;0.001 for all). Significant strength improvements were found for both boys and girls for push-ups (p&lt;.01 for both, though 4%, 11% and 12% higher magnitude of effects in girls vs. boys for 1, 2 and 3 years of participation, respectively), and only girls for sit-ups (p&lt;.001). Conclusions: Park-based afterschool physical activity programs have the potential to improve fitness performance in all youth, and particularly girls. Future research should further examine sex differences in the effects of park and other community based programs to ultimately reduce sex disparities in youth fitness, particularly in light of the current youth obesity epidemic that continues to challenge our nation.

Making After-School Physical Activity Programs a Success: Practical Lessons Learned

After-school physical activity programs for youth can develop and extend physical and mental skills necessary for health across the life span. With the considerable time and effort required to operate such programs, it is important that youth are achieving tangible goals and benefit from the programs. Unfortunately, many after-school programs lack any formal evaluation process, and it is unclear whether participants accrue benefits. Using the experiences of developing and evaluating multiyear after-school programs, we discuss variables that should be considered in the design and operation of an effective after-school program. Examples include how to market the program, what to include, how the program’s size can affect outcomes, and how to effectively assess program effectiveness. Recommendations can be applied to other sport and physical activity–based programs to the benefit of program staff and participants.Subscribe to TPE

Action 3:30R: protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility study of a revised teaching assistant-led extracurricular physical activity intervention for 8- to 10-year-olds

BackgroundApproximately half of 7-year-old children do not meet physical activity (PA) recommendations. Interventions targeting primary school children’s afterschool discretionary time could increase PA. Teaching assistants (TAs) are a school resource and could be trained to deliver after-school PA programmes. Building on earlier work, this paper describes the protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility study of a teaching assistant-led after-school intervention aimed at increasing PA levels of year 4 and 5 children (8–10 years old).MethodsPhase 1—pre-baseline: 12 schools will be recruited. In all schools, self-reported PA will be measured in all consenting year 3 and 4 children. In four schools, pupils will additionally wear a waist-worn Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days.Phase 2—baseline: schools will be randomised to one of two enhanced recruitment strategies being tested for children: (1) a club briefing and (2) the briefing plus a taster Action 3:30 session. Up to 30 children per school will be able to attend Action 3:30 sessions and will provide baseline data on height, weight, psychosocial variables and accelerometer-measured PA.Phase 3—intervention and follow-up: Schools randomised into intervention or control arm. Intervention schools (n = 6) will receive a 15-week after-school programme when children are in years 4 and 5, run by TAs who have attended a 25-h Action 3:30 training programme. Control schools (n = 6) will continue with normal practice. Follow-up measures will be a repeat of baseline measures at the end of the 15-week intervention.Phase 4—process evaluation: session attendance, perceived enjoyment and perceived exertion will be assessed during the intervention, as well as the economic impact on schools. Post-study qualitative assessments with TAs, school contacts and pupils will identify how the programme could be refined. Accelerometer-determined minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day will be calculated as this is likely to be the primary outcome in a future definitive trial.DiscussionThe Action 3:30 cluster randomised feasibility trial will assess the public health potential of this intervention approach and provide the information necessary to progress to a definitive cluster randomised controlled trial.Trial registrationISRCTN34001941. Registered 01/12/2016.

Bridging Public Health and Education: Results of a School-Based Physical Activity Program to Increase Student Fitness

Power Up for 30 (PU30) is a schoolwide intervention that encourages schools to provide an additional 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day, beyond physical education. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of PU30 on Georgia public elementary schools and their students. A total of 719 of 1320 public elementary schools in Georgia that were sent a baseline survey about school physical activity during October 2013 to September 2014 completed the survey, 160 of which were asked to complete a second survey. In the interim (March to June 2015), half (80) of these schools implemented the PU30 program. The interim surveys, which were completed during March to June 2015, assessed opportunities for student physical activity and staff member professional development focused on student physical activity. Compared with schools that had not implemented the program, more schools using the PU30 program reported offering before- and after-school physical activity programs. Forty-four of 78 (57%) PU30 schools compared with 20 of 53 (38%) non-PU30 schools offered before-school physical activity programs. Likewise, more PU30 schools than non-PU30 schools offered after-school physical activity programs (35% vs 16%), and a greater proportion of students at PU30 schools compared with non-PU30 schools met fitness benchmarks: recess 5 days per week (91% [288 of 323] vs 80% [273 of 341]), offering ≥11 minutes per day of classroom-based physical activity (39% [53 of 136] vs 25% [47 of 189] for kindergarten through second grade; 20% [37 of 187] vs 6% [9 of 152] for grades 3 through 5), and receiving physical activity-related professional development time (42% [136 of 323] vs 14% [48 of 341]). The surveys provided a statewide picture of the physical activity opportunities offered to students and staff members in Georgia elementary schools and demonstrated the effective use of a comprehensive, multicomponent program to offer more school-based physical activity opportunities and to improve student fitness.

Economic evaluation of a group randomized controlled trial on healthy eating and physical activity in afterschool programs

Limited information is available on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to achieve healthy eating and physical activity policies in afterschool programs (ASPs). The objective of this study is to present the costs associated with a comprehensive intervention in ASPs. Intervention delivery inputs (IDIs) associated with a group randomized delayed treatment controlled trial involving 20 ASPs serving >1700 children (5–12yrs) were catalogued prospectively across 2-years (2014–2015). IDIs, analyzed 2015, were expressed as increases in per-child per-week enrollment fees based on a 34-week school year in US$. Total IDIs for year-1 were $15,058 (+$0.58/child/week enrollment fee). In year-2, total costs were $13,828 (+$0.52/child/week) for the delayed group and $7916 (+$0.30/child/week) for the immediate group, respectively. Site leader and staff hourly wages represented 11–17% and 45–46% of initial training costs; travel and trainer wages represented 31–42% and 50–58% of booster costs. Overall, a 1% increase in boys and girls, separately, accumulating 30 mins/d of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ranged from $0.05 to $0.26/child/week, while a one-day increase in serving a fruit/vegetable or water, or not serving sugar-added foods/beverages ranged from $0.16 to $0.87/child/week. Costs associated with implementing the intervention were minimal. Additional efforts to reduce costs and improve intervention effectiveness are necessary.

Fysisk aktivitet i Aktivitetsskolen

Artikkelen tar utgangspunkt i en studie av 20 andreklassebarns fysiske aktivitet gjennom en dag ved Aktivitetsskolen i Oslo. Resultatene viser et relativt høyt gjennomsnittlig fysisk aktivitetsnivået blant de undersøkte barna. Den fysiske aktiviteten kjennetegnes av hyppige vekslinger mellom type aktivitet og intensitet. Hoveddelen av barnas fysiske aktivitet oppstår i barnestyrt lek utendørs sammen med andre barn. Barnestyrt aktivitet har høyere intensitet enn voksenstyrt aktivitet, og intensitetsnivået er høyere ute enn inne. Det høye gjennomsnittlige aktivitetsnivået er i tråd med Aktivitetsskolens målsetning angående fysisk aktivitet. Samtidig er det store individuelle forskjeller, noe som kan tyde på at Aktivitetsskolen ikke lykkes med å stimulere til fysisk aktivitet for de minst aktive barna. Resultatene leder mot en anbefaling om økt pedagogisk kompetanse blant ansatte med tanke på tilrettelegging for fysisk aktivitet. Dette er spesielt viktig for barn med lavt aktivitetsnivå. I tillegg må AKS-ansatte ha tid og mulighet til å være til stede i barnas aktiviteter. English abstract This article is based on a study of 20 second-graders’ physical activity during a day in the After-School Program in Oslo. The results show that among the children studied, the average physical activity level is relatively high. The children’s activity is characterized by frequent changes in type of activity and intensity. The majority of children’s physical activity occurs in self-managed play outdoors together with other children. The self-managed physical activity is of higher intensity than the adult organized andthe intensity level is higher outdoors than indoors. The high average level of physical activity is in accordance with the aims of the After-School Program in Oslo. However, there are large individual differences. This may indicate that the After-School Program fails to promote physical activity for the least active children. The results lead to a recommendation for increased pedagogical competency among employees considering facilitating physical activity in After-School Programs. This is particularly important for children with low level of physical activity. In addition, the employees must have time and opportunity to be present in children’s activities.

방과 후 신체활동 프로그램의 효과에 관한 메타분석

This meta-analysis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of after-school physical activity programs. A total of 24 studies published from 2000 through 2016 were selected. The results are as follows: First, the overall average effect size value based on the random effect model was 1.136, and it was positive and median effect. Secondly, effect sizes were compared in regard to moderator variables including participant characteristics, physical activity type, dependent variable type, study design. As a result, school level, period of physical activity, and the number of group were moderator variables that explain the differences in effect sizes. Based on these findings, implications for future research and program implementation were discussed.