Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study

Abstract Background School-based physical activity interventions evaluating the effect on academic performance usually includes children. We aimed to investigate the effect of a nine-month, school-based physical activity intervention titled School in Motion (ScIM) on academic performance in adolesce...

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Main Authors: Runar Barstad Solberg, Jostein Steene-Johannessen, Sigmund Alfred Anderssen, Ulf Ekelund, Reidar Säfvenbom, Tommy Haugen, Sveinung Berntsen, Andreas Åvitsland, Øystein Lerum, Geir Kåre Resaland, Elin Kolle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-05-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10901-x
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author Runar Barstad Solberg
Jostein Steene-Johannessen
Sigmund Alfred Anderssen
Ulf Ekelund
Reidar Säfvenbom
Tommy Haugen
Sveinung Berntsen
Andreas Åvitsland
Øystein Lerum
Geir Kåre Resaland
Elin Kolle
author_facet Runar Barstad Solberg
Jostein Steene-Johannessen
Sigmund Alfred Anderssen
Ulf Ekelund
Reidar Säfvenbom
Tommy Haugen
Sveinung Berntsen
Andreas Åvitsland
Øystein Lerum
Geir Kåre Resaland
Elin Kolle
author_sort Runar Barstad Solberg
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background School-based physical activity interventions evaluating the effect on academic performance usually includes children. We aimed to investigate the effect of a nine-month, school-based physical activity intervention titled School in Motion (ScIM) on academic performance in adolescents. Methods Thirty secondary schools in Norway were cluster-randomized into three groups: the Physically active learning (PAL) group (n = 10), the Don’t worry – Be Happy (DWBH) group (n = 10) or control (n = 10). Target dose in both intervention groups was 120 min/week of additional PA during school hours. Parental consent was obtained from 2084 adolescent students (76%). Standardized national tests in reading and numeracy was conducted at baseline and at the end of the intervention. We used linear mixed model to test intervention effects. We found significant intervention effects in numeracy and reading among students in both interventions when compared with controls. Results The mean difference in change in numeracy was 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9 to 2.5; Cohen’s d = 0.12) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.7; Cohen’s d = 0.23) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. Similar results were found for reading, where the mean difference in change was 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.6; Cohen’s d = 0.06) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.9; Cohen’s d = 0.18) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. When conducting intention to treat analysis with imputed data the estimates were attenuated and some no longer significant. Conclusion The ScIM study demonstrates that two different school-based PA interventions providing approximately 120 min of additional PA weekly over nine months, significantly improved numeracy and reading performance in 14-year old students compared with controls. However, the results should be interpreted with caution as the effect sizes reported were very small or small and the estimates were attenuated when conducting intention to treat analysis. Despite this, our results are still positive and suggest that PA interventions are viable models to increase academic performance among adolescents. Trial registration Retrospectively registered (25/01/2019): NCT03817047 .
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spelling doaj.art-122a18cc7c9541699ecd01ef5c29f64b2022-12-21T21:33:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-05-0121111110.1186/s12889-021-10901-xEffects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion studyRunar Barstad Solberg0Jostein Steene-Johannessen1Sigmund Alfred Anderssen2Ulf Ekelund3Reidar Säfvenbom4Tommy Haugen5Sveinung Berntsen6Andreas Åvitsland7Øystein Lerum8Geir Kåre Resaland9Elin Kolle10Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesFaculty of Health and Sport Science, Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of AgderFaculty of Health and Sport Science, Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, University of AgderDepartment of Education and Sport Science, University of StavangerDepartment of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied SciencesCenter for Physically Active Learning, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied SciencesDepartment of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesAbstract Background School-based physical activity interventions evaluating the effect on academic performance usually includes children. We aimed to investigate the effect of a nine-month, school-based physical activity intervention titled School in Motion (ScIM) on academic performance in adolescents. Methods Thirty secondary schools in Norway were cluster-randomized into three groups: the Physically active learning (PAL) group (n = 10), the Don’t worry – Be Happy (DWBH) group (n = 10) or control (n = 10). Target dose in both intervention groups was 120 min/week of additional PA during school hours. Parental consent was obtained from 2084 adolescent students (76%). Standardized national tests in reading and numeracy was conducted at baseline and at the end of the intervention. We used linear mixed model to test intervention effects. We found significant intervention effects in numeracy and reading among students in both interventions when compared with controls. Results The mean difference in change in numeracy was 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9 to 2.5; Cohen’s d = 0.12) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.7; Cohen’s d = 0.23) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. Similar results were found for reading, where the mean difference in change was 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.6; Cohen’s d = 0.06) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.9; Cohen’s d = 0.18) points in favour of students in the PAL and DWBH intervention, respectively. When conducting intention to treat analysis with imputed data the estimates were attenuated and some no longer significant. Conclusion The ScIM study demonstrates that two different school-based PA interventions providing approximately 120 min of additional PA weekly over nine months, significantly improved numeracy and reading performance in 14-year old students compared with controls. However, the results should be interpreted with caution as the effect sizes reported were very small or small and the estimates were attenuated when conducting intention to treat analysis. Despite this, our results are still positive and suggest that PA interventions are viable models to increase academic performance among adolescents. Trial registration Retrospectively registered (25/01/2019): NCT03817047 .https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10901-xPhysical activityCluster RCTAdolescentsAcademic performance
spellingShingle Runar Barstad Solberg
Jostein Steene-Johannessen
Sigmund Alfred Anderssen
Ulf Ekelund
Reidar Säfvenbom
Tommy Haugen
Sveinung Berntsen
Andreas Åvitsland
Øystein Lerum
Geir Kåre Resaland
Elin Kolle
Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
BMC Public Health
Physical activity
Cluster RCT
Adolescents
Academic performance
title Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
title_full Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
title_fullStr Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
title_full_unstemmed Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
title_short Effects of a school-based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14-year old adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial – the School in Motion study
title_sort effects of a school based physical activity intervention on academic performance in 14 year old adolescents a cluster randomized controlled trial the school in motion study
topic Physical activity
Cluster RCT
Adolescents
Academic performance
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10901-x
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