The Impact of a Physical Activity Intervention Program on Academic Achievement in a Swedish Elementary School Setting

Purpose:To examine the impact of integrating physical activity with elementary curricula on fluid intelligence and academic achievement.Methods:A random sample of 3rd grade teachers integrated physical activity into their core curricula approximately 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week from January 2008 to April 2008. Noninvasive fluid intelligence cognitive measures were used along with State-mandated academic achievement tests.Results:Experimental Group children averaged close to 1200 pedometer steps per integration day, thus averaging 3600 steps per week. Children in the Experimental Group performed significantly better on the SPM Fluid Intelligence Test. Children in the Experimental Group also performed significantly better on the Social Studies State mandated academic achievement test. Experimental Group children also received higher scores on the English/Language Arts, Math and Science achievements tests, but were not statistically significant compared with Control Group children. Children classified in Fitnessgram’s Healthy Fitness Zone for BMI earned lower scores on many of the SPM Fluid Intelligence components.Discussion:This investigation provides evidence that movement can influence fluid intelligence and should be considered to promote cognitive development of elementary-age children. Equally compelling were the differences in SPM Fluid Intelligence Test scores for children who were distinguished by Fitnessgram’s BMI cut points.

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Impact of an Elementary School-Based Intervention on Physical Activity Time and Aerobic Capacity, Georgia, 2013-2014

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/0033354917719701 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 132 (2_suppl) ◽

pp. 24S-32S ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Hayley A. Braun ◽

Christi M. Kay ◽

Patricia Cheung ◽

Paul S. Weiss ◽

Julie A. Gazmararian

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

Aerobic Capacity ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

School Level ◽

Activity Time ◽

Post Intervention ◽

School Based ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the impact of a 1-year elementary school physical activity intervention on changes in teacher-reported school-based physical activity time and (2) assess the relationship between these changes and changes in student aerobic capacity. Methods: HealthMPowers, a nonprofit organization, provided a multicomponent physical activity intervention to 3479 students in 39 schools in Georgia during 2013-2014. HealthMPowers administered a survey to faculty members before (August 2013) and after (May 2014) the intervention to measure student physical activity times. The organization collected pre- and post-intervention Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) laps (a measure of aerobic capacity that awards 1 lap for each completed 20-meter lap) for 2342 fourth-grade students. We performed linear regression to determine the relationship between school-level changes in teacher-reported school-based physical activity time and student aerobic capacity. Results: The weekly estimated teacher-reported time in physical activity increased by 39 minutes from pre- to post-intervention: 21 minutes for recess, 17 minutes for classroom, and 1 minute for physical education. The mean number of student PACER laps increased by 3 laps from pre- to post-intervention, and 1515 of 2342 (65%) students increased the number of PACER laps completed. We observed a positive association between school-level changes in school-based physical activity time and school-level changes in PACER laps ( r = 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.46). Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for more prospective research into multicomponent physical activity interventions. Rigorous testing, including randomized controlled trials of large-scale implementations, is needed to examine how these school-based interventions might be used to improve the physical activity and fitness of larger populations of children.

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Ready to Learn: The Impact of the Morning Blast Physical Activity Intervention on Elementary School Students

Movement Health & Exercise ◽

10.15282/mohe.v6i1.137 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tingting Xu ◽

Erik Jon Byker ◽

Monica Rae Gonzales

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

Elementary School Students ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

The United States ◽

Control Group ◽

School Students ◽

Ready To Learn ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an aerobic exercise intervention programme on elementary school students’ math learning and daily physical activity. Methods: This mixed-methods study included 7 educators and 83 students (n=90). The students were all children who were enrolled in Grades 3, 4, and 5 in a semi-rural elementary school in the United States of America. Data were collected through focus-group interviews, surveys, quantitative analysis of step counts, and from quasi-experimental research design. Results: Students in the experimental group were found to have: (1) increased scores on math standard score, (2) greater confidence in their academic ability, and (3) had more accumulated steps compared to students in the control group. Students in the experimental group also reported that they were more “ready to learn” after completing the physical activity intervention. This finding was also confirmed by their teachers. Conclusion: This study demonstrates how an increase in physical activity during the morning time has positive benefits for students throughout the school day.

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The impact of participant pathways on the effectiveness of a community-based physical activity intervention grounded in motivational interviewing

10.31219/osf.io/2sxc3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Wade ◽

Nicola Brown ◽

James Steele ◽

Steven Mann ◽

Bernadette Dancy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Primary Care ◽

Motivational Interviewing ◽

Social Action ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Community Based ◽

The Impact ◽

Time Point

Background: Brief advice is recommended to increase physical activity (PA) within primary care. This study assessed change in PA levels and mental wellbeing after a motivational interviewing (MI) community-based PA intervention and the impact of signposting [SP] and Social Action [SA] (i.e. weekly group support) pathways. Methods: Participants (n=2084) took part in a community-based, primary care PA programme using MI techniques. Self-reported PA and mental wellbeing data were collected at baseline (following an initial 30-minute MI appointment), 12-weeks, six-months, and 12-months. Participants were assigned based upon the surgery they attended to the SP or SA pathway. Multilevel models were used to derive point estimates and 95%CIs for outcomes at each time point and change scores. Results: Participants increased PA and mental wellbeing at each follow-up time point through both participant pathways and with little difference between pathways. Retention was similar between pathways at 12-weeks, but the SP pathway retained more participants at six-months and 12-months. Conclusions: Both pathways produced similar improvements in PA and mental wellbeing, suggesting the effectiveness of MI based PA interventions. However, due to lower resources required yet similar effects, SP pathways are recommended over SA to support PA in primary care settings.

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The Impact Of Acute Bouts Of Two Types Of Physical Activity On Cognition In Elementary School-aged Children

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/01.mss.0000488157.91157.93 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 48 ◽

pp. 1049

Author(s):

Ashlyn Schwartz ◽

Aslynn Halvorson ◽

Michael McClanahan ◽

Gregory Grieco ◽

Dawn Coe

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

School Aged Children ◽

The Impact

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Children’s Weight Gain and Cardiovascular Fitness Loss over the Summer

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15122770 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 2770 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Timothy Brusseau ◽

Ryan Burns

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Cardiovascular Fitness ◽

The Body ◽

School Year ◽

School Based ◽

Health Related ◽

Physical Activity Programming ◽

The Impact ◽

Health Related Fitness

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of summer breaks on the body composition and cardiovascular fitness of elementary school children who participated in a multi-year school-based physical activity intervention. Participants were 404 children who had their height and weight measured and completed the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) during physical education classes at the beginning and end of the school year for three consecutive years. To examine the effects of time on health-related fitness data, general linear mixed effects models were employed. The results indicate that there was a trend toward an increase in body mass index (BMI) after the summer of 2015 (p = 0.958), and a significant increase in BMI after the summer of 2016 compared to time point 1 (p < 0.001). For PACER laps, there were trends toward decreases in PACER laps after the summers of 2015 (p = 0.515) and 2016 (p = 0.073). Summer breaks tended to attenuate the BMI and PACER lap improvements that were observed during the intervention. While school-based physical activity programming has had some successes in improving health-related fitness markers, the loss of these improvements over the summer is of concern to both practitioners and researchers. It is clear that additional efforts are needed to limit obesogenic behaviors during the summer months.

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Working to Increase Stability through Exercise (WISE): screening, recruitment, and baseline characteristics

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05761-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christopher N. Sciamanna ◽

Noel H. Ballentine ◽

Melissa Bopp ◽

Vernon M. Chinchilli ◽

Joseph T. Ciccolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

At Risk ◽

Physical Activity Intervention ◽

Past History ◽

Fragility Fractures ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Common Reason ◽

Recruitment Methods ◽

Phone Calls ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The aim of this paper is to describe the utility of various recruitment modalities utilized in the Working to Increase Stability through Exercise (WISE) study. WISE is a pragmatic randomized trial that is testing the impact of a 3-year, multicomponent (strength, balance, aerobic) physical activity program led by trained volunteers or delivered via DVD on the rate of serious fall-related injuries among adults 65 and older with a past history of fragility fractures (e.g., vertebral, fall-related). The modified goal was to recruit 1130 participants over 2 years in three regions of Pennsylvania. Methods The at-risk population was identified primarily using letters mailed to patients of three health systems and those over 65 in each region, as well as using provider alerts in the health record, proactive recruitment phone calls, radio advertisements, and presentations at community meetings. Results Over 24 months of recruitment, 209,301 recruitment letters were mailed, resulting in 6818 telephone interviews. The two most productive recruitment methods were letters (72% of randomized participants) and the research registries at the University of Pittsburgh (11%). An average of 211 letters were required to be mailed for each participant enrolled. Of those interviewed, 2854 were ineligible, 2,825 declined to enroll and 1139 were enrolled and randomized. Most participants were female (84.4%), under age 75 (64.2%), and 50% took an osteoporosis medication. Not having a prior fragility fracture was the most common reason for not being eligible (87.5%). The most common reason provided for declining enrollment was not feeling healthy enough to participate (12.6%). Conclusions The WISE study achieved its overall recruitment goal. Bulk mailing was the most productive method for recruiting community-dwelling older adults at risk of serious fall-related injury into this long-term physical activity intervention trial, and electronic registries are important sources and should be considered.

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