Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study
Abstract Background Physical education classes are widely accepted as one of the most effective settings for promoting physical activity and health and have often been used to implement physical activity interventions. The aim of this pilot study was to test a physical education intervention program...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04544-1 |
| _version_ | 1797276236051906560 |
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| author | Luiza Naujorks Reis Cézane Priscila Reuter Ryan Donald Burns Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins Jorge Mota Adroaldo Cezar Araujo Gaya João Francisco de Castro Silveira Anelise Reis Gaya |
| author_facet | Luiza Naujorks Reis Cézane Priscila Reuter Ryan Donald Burns Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins Jorge Mota Adroaldo Cezar Araujo Gaya João Francisco de Castro Silveira Anelise Reis Gaya |
| author_sort | Luiza Naujorks Reis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Physical education classes are widely accepted as one of the most effective settings for promoting physical activity and health and have often been used to implement physical activity interventions. The aim of this pilot study was to test a physical education intervention program on physical activity levels and physical fitness in a sample of school-age children. Methods Participants were a convenience sample of 50 children (34 experimental group and 16 in the comparative group) aged between 6 and 11 years old (Mean = 8.28 years). A 21-week intervention was implemented, consisting of high-intensity and physical fitness-focused exercises, in addition to a once-a-month extra class nutritional education. The following variables were evaluated before and post-intervention: physical fitness, sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), moderate physical activity (MVA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA). Propensity score analyses calculated the average treatment effect on the treated (ATET) within a quasi-experimental framework. Results Physical fitness variables showed improvements after the intervention, specifically for agility (ATET = -0.67 s; p < 0.001), cardiorespiratory fitness (ATET = 89.27 m; p = 0.045), lower limbs power (ATET = 4.47 centimeters; p = 0.025), and speed (ATET = -1.06 s; p < 0.001). For physical activity and SB levels, there were no improvements after intervention implementation. Conclusion The intervention program showed preliminary effectiveness to improve physical fitness of children, but not SB nor physical activity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:25:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b59eee5f0c74c29b9977d977898a48f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2431 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:25:25Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b59eee5f0c74c29b9977d977898a48f2024-03-05T16:43:29ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312024-01-0124111110.1186/s12887-024-04544-1Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot studyLuiza Naujorks Reis0Cézane Priscila Reuter1Ryan Donald Burns2Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins3Jorge Mota4Adroaldo Cezar Araujo Gaya5João Francisco de Castro Silveira6Anelise Reis Gaya7Graduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduate Program in Health Promotion, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC)Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation, University of UtahResearch Centre of Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), University of PortoResearch Centre of Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), University of PortoGraduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Abstract Background Physical education classes are widely accepted as one of the most effective settings for promoting physical activity and health and have often been used to implement physical activity interventions. The aim of this pilot study was to test a physical education intervention program on physical activity levels and physical fitness in a sample of school-age children. Methods Participants were a convenience sample of 50 children (34 experimental group and 16 in the comparative group) aged between 6 and 11 years old (Mean = 8.28 years). A 21-week intervention was implemented, consisting of high-intensity and physical fitness-focused exercises, in addition to a once-a-month extra class nutritional education. The following variables were evaluated before and post-intervention: physical fitness, sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), moderate physical activity (MVA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA). Propensity score analyses calculated the average treatment effect on the treated (ATET) within a quasi-experimental framework. Results Physical fitness variables showed improvements after the intervention, specifically for agility (ATET = -0.67 s; p < 0.001), cardiorespiratory fitness (ATET = 89.27 m; p = 0.045), lower limbs power (ATET = 4.47 centimeters; p = 0.025), and speed (ATET = -1.06 s; p < 0.001). For physical activity and SB levels, there were no improvements after intervention implementation. Conclusion The intervention program showed preliminary effectiveness to improve physical fitness of children, but not SB nor physical activity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04544-1Physical educationPhysical exercisePhysical performanceFood and nutrition education |
| spellingShingle | Luiza Naujorks Reis Cézane Priscila Reuter Ryan Donald Burns Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins Jorge Mota Adroaldo Cezar Araujo Gaya João Francisco de Castro Silveira Anelise Reis Gaya Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study BMC Pediatrics Physical education Physical exercise Physical performance Food and nutrition education |
| title | Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study |
| title_full | Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study |
| title_short | Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study |
| title_sort | effects of a physical education intervention on children s physical activity and fitness the profit pilot study |
| topic | Physical education Physical exercise Physical performance Food and nutrition education |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04544-1 |
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