Effects of a 3-month vigorous physical activity intervention on eating behaviors and body composition in overweight and obese boys and girls

Introduction: This cross-sectional study evaluated the healthy, active lifestyle capacity (daily physical activity, strength, flexibility, body composition) of children after Fontan, which was hypothesized to be lower than healthy peers. Methods: Participants (n=64, 25 female) were 9 ± 2 years of age. Fontan completion occurred at 3 ± 1 years of age. Canadian Health Measures Survey protocols assessed aerobic endurance (walking up/down steps at set pace), strength (handgrip dynamometry), flexibility (sit and reach), body composition (body mass index) and daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (7-day accelerometry). Participant versus published norm differences were evaluated with t-tests. Linear regression evaluated associations with age/gender/demographic factors. Results: Children after Fontan had strength scores similar (mean difference 1 kg) to their peers, were less likely to be obese (mean difference of body mass index = 1.1 ± 2.5, p=.001) and performed 50 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day. Estimated maximal aerobic endurance (mean difference = 21 ± 3 ml/kg/min or 61% of expected) and flexibility (mean difference = 9 ± 8 cm or 64% of expected) were lower than peers(p<.001). Participants performed fewer minutes of daily activity (mean difference from normal 12 ± 17 minutes/day, p<.001), but almost all (60/63) demonstrated the capacity for at least 20 minutes per day. Daily activity was higher with Fontan completion at a younger age (4 ± 2 mins/year) and for those taking antithrombotic medication (7 ± 18 and 22 ± 17 fewer minutes/day for those taking/not taking antithrombotics, respectively). Conclusions: Children after Fontan demonstrate the capacity to successfully perform the daily physical activity associated with optimal health. They have similar levels of strength and good body composition. We recommend that children after Fontan be counselled to expect that they can successfully participate in physically active peer play.

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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

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16010131 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Russell Jago ◽

Byron Tibbitts ◽

Emily Sanderson ◽

Emma L. Bird ◽

Alice Porter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Feasibility Trial ◽

After School ◽

Cluster Randomised ◽

The Difference ◽

And Control ◽

Programme Delivery

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.

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Association between objectively measured physical activity and longitudinal changes in body composition in adolescents: the Tromsø study fit futures cohort

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036991 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e036991

Author(s):

Nils Abel Aars ◽

Sigurd Beldo ◽

Bjarne Koster Jacobsen ◽

Alexander Horsch ◽

Bente Morseth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

Body Composition ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

First Year ◽

Upper Secondary ◽

Objectively Measured ◽

Objectively Measured Physical Activity ◽

Secondary High School

ObjectivesPhysical activity may be important in deterring the obesity epidemic. This study aimed to determine whether objectively measured physical activity in first year of upper secondary high school predicted changes in body composition over 2 years of follow-up in a cohort of Norwegian adolescents (n=431).DesignA longitudinal study of adolescents (mean age of 16 (SD 0.4) at baseline, 60.3% girls) participating in the Fit Futures studies 1 (2010–2011) and 2 (2012–2013).SettingAll eight upper secondary high schools in two municipalities in Northern Norway.ParticipantsStudents participating in both studies and under the age of 18 at baseline and with valid measurement of physical activity at baseline and body composition in both surveys.Primary and secondary outcomesChange in objectively measured body mass index and waist circumference and change in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured fat mass index, lean mass index (LMI) and appendicular LMI (aLMI) between baseline and follow-up.ResultsAt baseline, boys had significantly higher physical activity volume (p=0.01) and spent on average of 6.4 (95% CI 2.1 to 10.6) more minutes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than girls (p<0.01). In girls, multivariate regression analyses showed that more sedentary time was negatively associated with changes in LMI (p<0.01) and aLMI (p<0.05), whereas more light activity had opposite effects on these measures (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). No significant associations between measures of baseline physical activity and changes in body composition parameters were observed in boys.ConclusionsIn this cohort of Norwegian adolescents, sedentary and light physical activity was associated with changes in LMI and aLMI in girls, but not boys. Minutes spent in MVPA in first year of upper secondary high school was not associated with changes in measures of body composition in neither sex after 2 years.

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A Pilot Intervention Using Gamification to Enhance Student Participation in Classroom Activity Breaks

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16214082 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (21) ◽

pp. 4082 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Lexie R. Beemer ◽

Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa ◽

Gabriel DellaVecchia ◽

Rebecca E. Hasson

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Game Design ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Student Participation ◽

Sixth Grade ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Classroom Activity ◽

Design Elements ◽

Health Enhancing Physical Activity

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding game design elements (goal setting, feedback, and external rewards) to an evidence-based physical activity intervention to increase in-class physical activity participation (intensity of activity breaks performed). Nine third- through sixth-grade classrooms (n = 292 students) in one elementary-middle school in Detroit, Michigan (49% female, 95% nonwhite; 80% qualified for free/reduced lunch) participated in this 20-week intervention where teachers implemented 5 × 4 min moderate-to-vigorous activity breaks per day. Gamification of activity breaks occurred during weeks 13–20 of the intervention and included the use of game design elements and classroom goals for activity break intensity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during activity breaks was measured via direct observation. There was a significant effect of intervention with a 27% increase in student MVPA participation during the gamified intervention weeks compared with the standard intervention weeks (p = 0.03). Gamification of activity breaks resulted in 55% (compared with 25% during the standard intervention) of students accumulating approximately 20 min of health-enhancing physical activity per day in their classroom. These findings provide preliminary evidence that gamifying activity breaks may be an important strategy for increasing student participation in classroom activity breaks.

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Television Viewing: Moderator or Mediator of an Adolescent Physical Activity Intervention?

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.4278/ajhp.07053050 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 88-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dan J. Graham ◽

Margaret Schneider ◽

Dan M. Cooper

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Program Effectiveness ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

Cardiovascular Fitness ◽

Public High School ◽

Regression Equations ◽

Tv Viewing ◽

Self Monitoring

Purpose. To determine whether the amount of television (TV) watched by participants enrolled in a physical activity intervention mediates or moderates program effectiveness. Design. Nine-month, controlled, school-based physical activity intervention. Setting. Public high school. Participants. One hundred twenty-two sedentary adolescent females (mean + standard deviation age = 15.04 + 0.79 years). Intervention. Supervised in-class exercise, health education, and internet-based self-monitoring. Measures. Physical activity by 3-day physical activity recall; TV viewing by self-reports; cardiovascular fitness by cycle ergometer. Analysis. T-tests were conducted to examine between-group differences. Linear regression equations tested the mediating or moderating role of TV watching relative to the intervention. Results. TV viewing moderated the intervention's effect on vigorous activity; the intervention significantly predicted change in physical activity among high (β = −.45; p < .001), but not among low (p > .05), TV watchers. TV viewing did not mediate the intervention effect. Conclusions. Consistent with displacement theory, adolescents who watched more TV prior to the intervention showed postintervention increases in vigorous physical activity and concomitant decreases in TV viewing, whereas those who watched less TV showed no change in physical activity or TV viewing.

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A 10-Month Physical Activity Intervention Improves Body Composition in Young Black Boys

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2011/358581 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Cheryl A. Howe ◽

Ryan A. Harris ◽

Bernard Gutin

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Skills Development ◽

After School ◽

Control Group ◽

Black Boys ◽

X Ray ◽

Group A

Objective. To determine if a 10-month after-school physical activity (PA) intervention could prevent deleterious changes in body composition and cardiovascular (CV) fitness in young black boys.Methods. Following baseline measures, 106 boys (8–12 yrs) were randomized to either a control group or an intervention group, further divided into attenders (ATT) and nonattenders (NATT), participating in ≥60% or <60% of the intervention, respectively. The daily intervention consisted of skills development (25 min), vigorous PA (VPA, 35 min), and strengthening/stretching (20 min) components. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Results. Following the intervention, the ATT exhibited an increase in moderate-to-vigorous PA and a significant reduction in BMI, fat mass, and %BF compared to the control group. A significant association among the intervention energy expenditure and changes in body composition and CV fitness was observed only in the ATT group.Conclusion. An after-school PA program of sufficient length and intensity can promote healthy changes in body composition and fitness levels in black boys who attend at least 3 days/week.

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Children After Fontan have Strength and Body Composition Similar to Healthy Peers and Can Successfully Participate in Daily Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity

Pediatric Cardiology ◽

10.1007/s00246-014-1080-6 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 759-767 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Patricia E. Longmuir ◽

M. Corey ◽

G. Faulkner ◽

J. L. Russell ◽

B. W. McCrindle

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity

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Control Group Improvements in Physical Activity Intervention Trials and Possible Explanatory Factors: A Systematic Review

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.9.6.884 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 884-895 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Lauren Waters ◽

Marina Reeves ◽

Brianna Fjeldsoe ◽

Elizabeth Eakin

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Control Group ◽

Explanatory Factors ◽

Behavioral Measurement ◽

Activity Promotion ◽

Participant Characteristics ◽

Intervention Trials

Background:Several recent physical activity intervention trials have reported physical activity improvements in control group participants. Explanations have been proposed, but not systematically investigated.Methods:A systematic review of physical activity intervention trials was conducted to investigate the frequency of meaningful improvements in physical activity among control group participants (increase of ≥ 60 minutes [4 MET·hours] of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, or a 10% increase in the proportion of participants meeting physical activity recommendations), and possible explanatory factors. Explanatory factors include aspects of behavioral measurement, participant characteristics, and control group treatment.Results:Eight (28%) of 29 studies reviewed reported meaningful improvements in control group physical activity, most of which were of similar magnitude to improvements observed in the intervention group. A number of factors were related to meaningful control group improvements in physical activity, including the number of assessments, mode of measurement administration, screening to exclude active participants, and preexisting health status.Conclusions:Control group improvement in physical activity intervention trials is not uncommon and may be associated with behavioral measurement and participant characteristics. Associations observed in this review should be evaluated empirically in future research. Such studies may inform minimal contact approaches to physical activity promotion.

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