Project FIT: Rationale, design and baseline characteristics of a school- and community-based intervention to address physical activity and healthy eating among low-income elementary school children

Background:Marathon Kids® (MK) is a community and school-based program that promotes running, walking, and healthy eating in elementary school children. This study assessed the impact of MK on self-reported physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and related psycho-social factors in a sample of low-income, 4th- and 5th-grade students in Texas (n = 511). Intervention strategies included structured school running time, behavioral tracking, celebratory events, and rewards.Methods:A quasi-experimental design with 5 intervention (MK) and 3 comparison schools was employed. Students were assessed at baseline in the fall and at 3 time points during 2008 to 09. Mixed-effect regression methods were used to model pooled means, adjusting for baseline and sociodemographic variables.Results:MK students reported a higher mean time of running in past 7 days compared with non-MK students (mean = 4.38 vs. 3.83, respectively. P = .002), with a standardized effect size of 0.16. Mean times of FVC (P = .008), athletic identity self-concept (P < .001), PA outcome expectations (P = .007), and PA and FVC self-efficacy (P < .001 and P = .02, respectively) were also higher in MK students. Fewer differences in social support were observed.Conclusion:Findings provide further evidence on the importance of community and school partnerships for promoting PA and healthy eating in children.

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Enhancing Executive Functions Among Dutch Elementary School Children Using the Train Your Mind Program: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.7908 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Joachim Bervoets ◽

Lisa M Jonkman ◽

Sandra Mulkens ◽

Hein de Vries ◽

Gerjo Kok

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Randomized Trial ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

School Children ◽

Elementary School Children ◽

Cluster Randomized Trial ◽

Cluster Randomized

BACKGROUND Executive functions are higher cognitive control functions, which are essential to physical and psychological well-being, academic performance, and healthy social relationships. Executive functions can be trained, albeit without broad transfer, to this date. Broad transfer entails the translation of improved cognitive functions to daily life (behaviors). The intervention Train your Mind was designed to train executive functions among elementary school children aged 9 to 11 years, and obtain broad transfer in terms of enhanced physical activity, healthy eating, and socioemotional regulation. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to describe the cluster randomized trial to test the effectiveness of the Train your Mind intervention. METHODS Train your Mind was integrated into the existing school curriculum for 8 months (25 weeks excluding holidays). The effectiveness of the intervention was tested in a cluster randomized trial comprising 13 schools, 34 groups (school classes), and 800 children, using a battery of 6 computer tasks at pre- and postmeasurement. Each of the 3 core executive functions was measured by 2 tasks (Flanker and Go/No-Go; N-Back and Running Span; Attention Switching Task and Dots/Triangles). Moreover, we administered questionnaires that measure emotion-regulation, cognitive errors, physical activity, dietary habits, and the psycho-social determinants of diet and physical activity. Body mass index was also measured. Multilevel analyses will account for clustering at the school and group levels, and randomization took place at the school level. RESULTS Results are currently being analyzed. CONCLUSIONS The main purpose of this study is to test Train your Mind’s effectiveness in enhancing executive functions. Second, we investigate whether increased executive functions lead to improved physical activity and healthy eating. If found effective, executive function training could easily be integrated into school curricula everywhere, and as such, boost health, academic performance, and emotion-regulation of elementary school children, in a cost-effective manner. CLINICALTRIAL Netherlands Trial Register NTR5804; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=5804 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6z9twosJ8) REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER RR1-10.2196/7908

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Project FIT: A School, Community and Social Marketing Intervention Improves Healthy Eating Among Low-Income Elementary School Children

Journal of Community Health ◽

10.1007/s10900-015-0005-5 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 815-826 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Katherine Alaimo ◽

Joseph J. Carlson ◽

Karin A. Pfeiffer ◽

Joey C. Eisenmann ◽

Hye-Jin Paek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Social Marketing ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

School Children ◽

Low Income ◽

Elementary School Children ◽

School Community ◽

Marketing Intervention

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Validation of Interviewer-Assisted Recall for Measuring Minutes of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Elementary School Children, Grades 3 and 5

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.jneb.2015.12.001 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 152-156.e1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marsha Dowda ◽

Russell R. Pate ◽

Kerry L. McIver ◽

Suzanne D. Baxter ◽

Dawn K. Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

School Children ◽

Elementary School Children ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity

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Developmental relations between motivation types and physical activity in elementary school children (1)

Swiss Sports & Exercise Medicine ◽

10.34045/ssem/2019/30 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

Physical Education ◽

Measurement Invariance ◽

School Children ◽

Elementary School Children ◽

Growth Models ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Autonomous Motivation ◽

Multiple Group

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to observe the developmental trajectories of motivation types among young children from 8 to 12 years using a more comprehensive scale of physical education motivation. We also tested the relations between these trajectories and objective physical activity during this period. Design: Students in grades 5–7 (n=1202; 51.2% boys) were recruited from 17 elementary schools. Three cohorts completed the motivation questionnaire four times and objective physical activity was measured up to four times over a two years school period. Method: Measurement invariance of the scale was tested across cohorts and occasions. Multiple group multiple cohort growth models were estimated to determine motivation types trajectories. Regression models were then built to predict children’s slope of MVPA during this period. Results: We provided strong measurement invariance to a new and more comprehensive scale of PE motivation. Latent growth curve modeling indicated trajectories that decrease on average for all forms of motivations at this early age. Results also revealed some relations between motivation’s scores and objective physical activity trajectories, especially with autonomous motivation. Conclusions: Our study revealed the earliest decline of motivation towards physical education to have ever been highlighted in elementary school children. Relations between trajectory of intrinsic stimulation and PA behavior permitted us to highlight the possible role of autonomous motivation in minimizing the decline of children’s PA behavior during PE lesson.

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