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Porter A, Walker R, House D, Salway R, Dawson S, Ijaz S, de Vocht F, Jago R. Physical activity interventions in European primary schools: a scoping review to create a framework for the design of tailored interventions in European countries. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1321167. [PMID: 38389941 PMCID: PMC10883314 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1321167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Schools provide a unique environment to facilitate physical activity for children. However, many school-based physical activity interventions have not been effective. We propose a new approach, which allows schools to tailor interventions to their specific context. This scoping review aimed to identify intervention components from previous school-based physical activity interventions to form the basis of a tailored approach in a European setting. Methods Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for conducting scoping reviews were followed. European school-based intervention studies aimed at increasing physical activity in children aged 7-11 years published in English since 2015 were included. Databases searched were Ovid Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index, ERIC and British Education Index. Data was extracted on intervention components, context-related factors (geographical location, school size, child socioeconomic status and ethnicity), feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness. A data-driven framework was developed to summarize the identified intervention components. Results 79 articles were included, constituting 45 intervention studies. We identified 177 intervention components, which were synthesized into a framework of 60 intervention component types across 11 activity opportunities: six within the school day, three within the extended school day and two within the wider school environment. Interventions most frequently targeted physical education (21%), active and outdoor learning (16%), active breaks (15%), and school-level environmewnt (12%). Of the intervention components, 41% were delivered by school staff, 31% by the research team, and 24% by external organizations. Only 19% of intervention studies reported geographical location and only 10% reported school size. Participant ethnicity and socioeconomic information was reported by 15% and 25%, respectively. Intervention acceptability was reported in 51% of studies, feasibility in 49%, and cost effectiveness in 2%. Discussion This review offers a first step in developing a future framework to help schools to develop context-specific, tailored interventions. However, there was a lack of reporting of contextual factors within the included studies, making it difficult to understand the role of context. Future research should seek to measure and report contextual factors, and to better understand the important aspects of context within school-based physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Porter
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Walker
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle House
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Salway
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Dawson
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- The National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sharea Ijaz
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- The National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Frank de Vocht
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- The National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Russell Jago
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- The National Institute for Health Research, Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Neil-Sztramko SE, Caldwell H, Dobbins M. School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021; 9:CD007651. [PMID: 34555181 PMCID: PMC8459921 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd007651.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical activity among children and adolescents is associated with lower adiposity, improved cardio-metabolic health, and improved fitness. Worldwide, fewer than 30% of children and adolescents meet global physical activity recommendations of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Schools may be ideal sites for interventions given that children and adolescents in most parts of the world spend a substantial amount of time in transit to and from school or attending school. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this review update is to summarise the evidence on effectiveness of school-based interventions in increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity and improving fitness among children and adolescents 6 to 18 years of age. Specific objectives are: • to evaluate the effects of school-based interventions on increasing physical activity and improving fitness among children and adolescents; • to evaluate the effects of school-based interventions on improving body composition; and • to determine whether certain combinations or components (or both) of school-based interventions are more effective than others in promoting physical activity and fitness in this target population. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, BIOSIS, SPORTDiscus, and Sociological Abstracts to 1 June 2020, without language restrictions. We screened reference lists of included articles and relevant systematic reviews. We contacted primary authors of studies to ask for additional information. SELECTION CRITERIA Eligible interventions were relevant to public health practice (i.e. were not delivered by a clinician), were implemented in the school setting, and aimed to increase physical activity among all school-attending children and adolescents (aged 6 to 18) for at least 12 weeks. The review was limited to randomised controlled trials. For this update, we have added two new criteria: the primary aim of the study was to increase physical activity or fitness, and the study used an objective measure of physical activity or fitness. Primary outcomes included proportion of participants meeting physical activity guidelines and duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time (new to this update). Secondary outcomes included measured body mass index (BMI), physical fitness, health-related quality of life (new to this update), and adverse events (new to this update). Television viewing time, blood cholesterol, and blood pressure have been removed from this update. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent review authors used standardised forms to assess each study for relevance, to extract data, and to assess risk of bias. When discrepancies existed, discussion occurred until consensus was reached. Certainty of evidence was assessed according to GRADE. A random-effects meta-analysis based on the inverse variance method was conducted with participants stratified by age (children versus adolescents) when sufficient data were reported. Subgroup analyses explored effects by intervention type. MAIN RESULTS Based on the three new inclusion criteria, we excluded 16 of the 44 studies included in the previous version of this review. We screened an additional 9968 titles (search October 2011 to June 2020), of which 978 unique studies were potentially relevant and 61 met all criteria for this update. We included a total of 89 studies representing complete data for 66,752 study participants. Most studies included children only (n = 56), followed by adolescents only (n = 22), and both (n = 10); one study did not report student age. Multi-component interventions were most common (n = 40), followed by schooltime physical activity (n = 19), enhanced physical education (n = 15), and before and after school programmes (n = 14); one study explored both enhanced physical education and an after school programme. Lack of blinding of participants, personnel, and outcome assessors and loss to follow-up were the most common sources of bias. Results show that school-based physical activity interventions probably result in little to no increase in time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (mean difference (MD) 0.73 minutes/d, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 1.30; 33 studies; moderate-certainty evidence) and may lead to little to no decrease in sedentary time (MD -3.78 minutes/d, 95% CI -7.80 to 0.24; 16 studies; low-certainty evidence). School-based physical activity interventions may improve physical fitness reported as maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) (MD 1.19 mL/kg/min, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.82; 13 studies; low-certainty evidence). School-based physical activity interventions may result in a very small decrease in BMI z-scores (MD -0.06, 95% CI -0.09 to -0.02; 21 studies; low-certainty evidence) and may not impact BMI expressed as kg/m² (MD -0.07, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.01; 50 studies; low-certainty evidence). We are very uncertain whether school-based physical activity interventions impact health-related quality of life or adverse events. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Given the variability of results and the overall small effects, school staff and public health professionals must give the matter considerable thought before implementing school-based physical activity interventions. Given the heterogeneity of effects, the risk of bias, and findings that the magnitude of effect is generally small, results should be interpreted cautiously.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hilary Caldwell
- Department of Kinesiology, Child Health & Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Maureen Dobbins
- School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, Canada
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Lonsdale C, Sanders T, Parker P, Noetel M, Hartwig T, Vasconcellos D, Lee J, Antczak D, Kirwan M, Morgan P, Salmon J, Moodie M, McKay H, Bennie A, Plotnikoff RC, Cinelli R, Greene D, Peralta L, Cliff D, Kolt G, Gore J, Gao L, Boyer J, Morrison R, Hillman C, Shigeta TT, Tan E, Lubans DR. Effect of a Scalable School-Based Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr 2021; 175:680-688. [PMID: 33938946 PMCID: PMC8094033 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Cardiorespiratory fitness is an important marker of childhood health and low fitness levels are a risk factor for disease later in life. Levels of children's fitness have declined in recent decades. Whether school-based physical activity interventions can increase fitness at the population level remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of an internet-based intervention on children's cardiorespiratory fitness across a large number of schools. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this cluster randomized clinical trial, 22 government-funded elementary schools (from 137 providing consent) including 1188 students stratified from grades 3 and 4 in New South Wales, Australia, were randomized. The other schools received the intervention but were not included in the analysis. Eleven schools received the internet-based intervention and 11 received the control intervention. Recruitment and baseline testing began in 2016 and ended in 2017. Research assistants, blinded to treatment allocation, completed follow-up outcome assessments at 12 and 24 months. Data were analyzed from July to August 2020. INTERVENTIONS The internet-based intervention included standardized online learning for teachers and minimal in-person support from a project mentor (9-10 months). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Multistage 20-m shuttle run test for cardiorespiratory fitness. RESULTS Of 1219 participants (49% girls; mean [SD] age, 8.85 [0.71] years) from 22 schools, 1188 students provided baseline primary outcome data. At 12 months, the number of 20-m shuttle runs increased by 3.32 laps (95% CI, 2.44-4.20 laps) in the intervention schools and 2.11 laps (95% CI, 1.38-2.85 laps) in the control schools (adjusted difference = 1.20 laps; 95% CI, 0.17-2.24 laps). By 24 months, the adjusted difference was 2.22 laps (95% CI, 0.89-3.55 laps). The cost per student was AUD33 (USD26). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, a school-based intervention improved children's cardiorespiratory fitness when delivered in a large number of schools. The low cost and sustained effect over 24 months of the intervention suggests that it may have potential to be scaled at the population level. TRIAL REGISTRATION http://anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12616000731493.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Lonsdale
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Taren Sanders
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philip Parker
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Noetel
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, Queensland, Australia
| | - Timothy Hartwig
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Diego Vasconcellos
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jane Lee
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Devan Antczak
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Morwenna Kirwan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philip Morgan
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Callaghan, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jo Salmon
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marj Moodie
- Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Heather McKay
- Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Andrew Bennie
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ronald C. Plotnikoff
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Callaghan, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Renata Cinelli
- National School of Education, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Greene
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Louisa Peralta
- School of Education and Social Work, Sydney University, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dylan Cliff
- School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gregory Kolt
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer Gore
- School of Education, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lan Gao
- School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - James Boyer
- New South Wales Department of Education, Turrella, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ross Morrison
- New South Wales Department of Education, Turrella, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Charles Hillman
- Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tatsuya T. Shigeta
- Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elise Tan
- Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - David R. Lubans
- Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Callaghan, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract
Although progress had been made in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the positive trend has reversed in recent years, and CVD remains the most common cause of mortality in US women and men. Youth represent the future of CVD prevention; emerging evidence suggests exposure to risk factors in children contributes to atherosclerosis and results in vascular changes and increased CVD events. The contributors to CVD include those commonly seen in adults. This article reviews hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and smoking. It discusses the prevalence of each disease, diagnosis, treatment, and cardiovascular complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B Clauss
- Children's National Medical Center, George Washington School of Medicine, 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington DC 20010, USA.
| | - Sarah D de Ferranti
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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