ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH01
Introduction Adolescents spend much of their daily time in schools, which are ideal settings for promoting health-related behaviours. Unfortunately, schools have often neglected such behaviours, including physical activity, due to their focus on academic achievement and economic restrictions. Decreased levels of physical activity, however, may compromise the scholarly purposes of academic achievements. A plausible solution is to promote time-efficient physical activity interventions, such as breaking up prolonged sedentary times with light-intensity physical activity and/or using standing desks. Whether such interventions affect parameters of health and fitness and executive functions, however, is still uncertain. We, therefore, investigated the single and combined effects of classroom-based active breaks and using standing desks on adolescents health-related fitness and executive functions. Methods Participants were 100 secondary school students (78% females, aged 15 to 17 yr). Four classes were randomly assigned into one of four groups: control (CT, n = 20), active breaks (ACT, n = 26), standing desks (STD, n = 26), and active breaks and standing desks combined (ACT+STD, n = 28). In both the ACT and ACT+STD groups, participants completed 3 × 8-min active breaks per weekday for 12 weeks, while in both the STD and ACT+STD groups participants completed 3 × 8-min using standing desks. In the ACT+STD group both interventions were alternate. Health-related fitness, i.e., muscular strength/power/endurance, aerobic endurance, flexibility, and blood pressure, and executive function, i.e., short-term working memory, visual attention, and task switching, were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. ANCOVA tests using baseline values as covariates were used, with P-value set as <0.05. Results The adherence to the interventions was relatively high (>80%). There were significant improvements in muscular endurance, aerobic endurance, flexibility, and systolic blood pressure (P<0.01), primarily in the ACT group. Similarly small, but non-significant trends were observed for muscular strength (P=0.06) and diastolic blood pressure (P=0.06). No between-group differences were observed for muscular power and all indicators of executive function (P>0.05). Conclusion Our findings suggest that classroom-based physical activity interventions appreciably impact health-related fitness, but not executive function, in secondary school students. The most noticeable benefits were observed when breaking up prolonged sedentary times with light-intensity physical activity. These results underscore the importance of incorporating physical activity breaks within classroom settings. This research was funded by the Ministero dellIstruzione (DD 90 20/10/2022).
Read CV Matteo PriviteraECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH01
Introduction Physical Activity (PA) is beneficial for children’s physical and mental health. Schools play a crucial role in children’s health promotion strategies, and amidst a demanding academic curriculum, PA breaks should be optimised to promote key cognitive and psychological variables linked to academic performance. Feasibility, ease of implementation, and effectiveness from key stakeholders perspectives should also be considered. Utilising an acute approach provides insight into the immediate impact of PA break strategies, complementing long-term PA research. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of an acute PA break, designed by children and teachers, on children’s cognitive function. Methods In a prior study, we co-designed a PA break with children and teachers, which resulted in a 5-min PA break, consisting of playground games, performed outdoors with the whole class. Using a fully repeated measures design, preadolescent children (n=120, aged 5-11 years old) completed 5-min of playground games, usual practice (The Daily Mile) and a control (no PA) condition in a randomised and counterbalanced order. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE 1-10 scale) was measured following each PA condition and cognitive function (Stroop and Connections Tests) was measured pre, post (10-min) and following (45-min) each condition. A dependent t-test (RPE) and separate Condition (playground games, usual practice, control) by Time (pre, post, follow-up) repeated measures ANOVAs (response time and/or accuracy) were conducted (significance level, p=0.05). Results Perceived exertion was higher for the playground games (M=4.89, SD=2.83) vs. the usual practice (M=3.60, SD=2.87) condition (t(103) = -3.98, p<0.001). For the Connections Test, a main effect of Time (F(2,194) = 12.09, p<0.001), indicated improved accuracy pre to post (M=76.42, SD= 30.08, M=80.57, SD= 35.01) vs. post to follow-up (M=81.91, SD= 33.71). Whereas for the Stroop Test, a Condition by Time interaction (F(3,318) = 3.15, p=0.023), indicated no change in accuracy between conditions pre to post. However, accuracy reduced post-10min to follow-up in the playground games (M=93.75, SD=12.85) condition vs. usual practice (M=95.55, SD=10.44) and control (M=95.42, SD=10.77) conditions. No significant effects were recorded for response time (p>0.05). Conclusions A PA break consisting of playground games was co-designed to promote physiological and cognitive benefits. Compared to usual-practice, playground games felt more physiologically challenging, yet children’s cognitive function was maintained at 10-min, but not 45-minutes later. These findings acknowledge the importance of the timing and type of cognitive assessment employed, and contribute to the development of feasible and effective, child and teacher led PA breaks, to harness cognitive benefits throughout the school day.
Read CV Sam DixonECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH01
INTRODUCTION: There is currently a growing inactive population of young people globally. It is widely recognised that practitioner education could impact children’s Physical Literacy (PL) and subsequent Physical Activity (PA) throughout life [1]. Boing is a workshop-based programme that aims to help practitioners develop children’s PL through active play; however, the programs impact is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of practitioner training and reach to children as the end user, using a novel, multi-method RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) approach. METHODS: 926 practitioners from 45 organisations were recruited. Three sequential questionnaires explored practitioner education pre, post and 6-months after training for self-reported attributes: knowledge, confidence and attitude (Likert scale). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for non-parametric data investigated changes in attributes. Rank-biserial correlation [r] was utilised to calculate the effect size [2]. Further Bayesian statistical analysis was utilised to investigate changes between organisational groups. Practitioner interviews (n=17) captured perceived barriers and facilitators to use 1-year post-training. Finally, the child’s voice was explored using Unfinished Stories: a novel drawing-based interview approach with 12 children from 3 organisations. Thematic content analysis was completed on both verbal data (practitioner and child) and visual narratives (child). RESULTS: Quantitative: Perceived attributes towards PL was poor across the UK. Boing training elicited significant changes across all organisational groups (p<0.001, r=0.94). This was retained 6-months after training, however, significant decreases between post training and 6-months were evident (p=<0.001, r=0.49). Notably organisational groups did not differ with extreme evidence found for equal groups (BF10 =<0.001). Qualitative: Five higher-order themes emerged from practitioners including organisation structure and paedology. Practitioners reported widespread adoption of Boing, however, barriers such as reduced contact time and policy led to practitioners not maintaining use over the year. Three higher-order themes emerged from children, including digital play and social interaction. Children described technology, identified family/friends and detailed sport/games with adults commonly absent. This differed from the practitioner narrative. CONCLUSION: Current knowledge, confidence and attitude toward PL among practitioners is poor. Boing is effective at improving this; however, further support is required to promote continued use. Despite this, children have their own unique view of play that differs from their adult counterparts. The role of unsupervised and digital play must be acknowledged if the voice of the child is valued in child-centred research and policy [3] to promote PA throughout life. [1] Durden-Myers et al. (2018) [2] Goss-Sampson (2019) [3] UN Committee: Rights of the Child (1991)
Read CV Kirsten WingECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH01