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A physical activity intervention program in school is also accompanied by higher leisure-time physical activity : A prospective controlled 3-year study in 194 prepubertal children

Cronholm, Felix LU ; Rosengren, Björn E. LU ; Karlsson, Caroline LU and Karlsson, Magnus LU (2017) In Journal of Physical Activity and Health 14(4). p.301-307
Abstract

Background: The activity-stat theory infers that total physical activity (PA) in children is constant, independent of environmental interventions. Methods: We conducted a 3-year prospective population-based controlled PA intervention study including, at baseline, 7- to 9-year-old children (66 boys, 40 girls in the intervention and 50 boys, 38 girls in the control group). PA was increased in the intervention group from 60 to 200 minutes/week, while the controls maintained 60 minutes/week. We registered weekly duration of total PA and leisure-time PA and daily duration of sedentary activities, through questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 3 years after baseline. Results: Between intervention and control groups PA was similar before... (More)

Background: The activity-stat theory infers that total physical activity (PA) in children is constant, independent of environmental interventions. Methods: We conducted a 3-year prospective population-based controlled PA intervention study including, at baseline, 7- to 9-year-old children (66 boys, 40 girls in the intervention and 50 boys, 38 girls in the control group). PA was increased in the intervention group from 60 to 200 minutes/week, while the controls maintained 60 minutes/week. We registered weekly duration of total PA and leisure-time PA and daily duration of sedentary activities, through questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 3 years after baseline. Results: Between intervention and control groups PA was similar before intervention start. After intervention start, total PA in both genders was increased during the entire period (P-values adjusted for age and Tanner stage at follow-up between 0.001 and 0.002). Duration of sedentary activities was unchanged with no group differences. Children in the intervention group changed their behavior so that they also achieved more leisure-time PA. Conclusion: A 3-year school-based PA intervention program in prepubertal children increases the duration of total PA without increasing the duration of sedentary activities, and the program seems to initiate more PA during leisure-time. Our results refute the activity-stat theory.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Exercise, Intervention study, Physical education, Sedentary behavior
in
Journal of Physical Activity and Health
volume
14
issue
4
pages
7 pages
publisher
Human Kinetics
external identifiers
  • pmid:28032808
  • wos:000400537600008
  • scopus:85018672121
ISSN
1543-3080
DOI
10.1123/jpah.2016-0213
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3a78c6c9-2bfb-4889-88fd-1a3c5a4c7f23
date added to LUP
2017-06-14 08:53:55
date last changed
2025-01-07 15:19:26
@article{3a78c6c9-2bfb-4889-88fd-1a3c5a4c7f23,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: The activity-stat theory infers that total physical activity (PA) in children is constant, independent of environmental interventions. Methods: We conducted a 3-year prospective population-based controlled PA intervention study including, at baseline, 7- to 9-year-old children (66 boys, 40 girls in the intervention and 50 boys, 38 girls in the control group). PA was increased in the intervention group from 60 to 200 minutes/week, while the controls maintained 60 minutes/week. We registered weekly duration of total PA and leisure-time PA and daily duration of sedentary activities, through questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 3 years after baseline. Results: Between intervention and control groups PA was similar before intervention start. After intervention start, total PA in both genders was increased during the entire period (P-values adjusted for age and Tanner stage at follow-up between 0.001 and 0.002). Duration of sedentary activities was unchanged with no group differences. Children in the intervention group changed their behavior so that they also achieved more leisure-time PA. Conclusion: A 3-year school-based PA intervention program in prepubertal children increases the duration of total PA without increasing the duration of sedentary activities, and the program seems to initiate more PA during leisure-time. Our results refute the activity-stat theory.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cronholm, Felix and Rosengren, Björn E. and Karlsson, Caroline and Karlsson, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{1543-3080}},
  keywords     = {{Exercise; Intervention study; Physical education; Sedentary behavior}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{301--307}},
  publisher    = {{Human Kinetics}},
  series       = {{Journal of Physical Activity and Health}},
  title        = {{A physical activity intervention program in school is also accompanied by higher leisure-time physical activity : A prospective controlled 3-year study in 194 prepubertal children}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0213}},
  doi          = {{10.1123/jpah.2016-0213}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}