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O'Dwyer, MV, Fairclough, SJ, Knowles, ZR and Stratton, G (2012) Effect of a family focused active play intervention on sedentary time and physical activity in preschool children. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1479-5868
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Effect of a family focused active play intervention on sedentary time and physical activity in preschool children..pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (319kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Background: Early childhood provides a window of opportunity for the promotion of physical activity. Given the limited effectiveness of interventions to date, new approaches are needed. Socio-ecological models suggest that
involving parents as intervention targets may be effective in fostering healthier lifestyles in children. This study
describes the effectiveness of a family-focused ‘Active Play’ intervention in decreasing sedentary time and
increasing total physical activity in preschool children.
Method: Seventy-seven families were recruited from 8 randomly selected SureStart children’s centres in the North
West of England. Centres were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n = 4) or a comparison group (n = 4).
Parents and children in the intervention group received a 10-week active play programme delivered by trained
active play professionals; this included an activity and educational component. Families in the comparison group
were asked to maintain their usual routine. Each participating parent and child wore a uni-axial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and post-test. Week and weekend day sedentary time and total physical activity adjusted for child- and home- level covariates were analysed using multilevel analyses.
Results: Significant intervention effects were observed for sedentary time and physical activity for both week and
weekend days. Children in the intervention group engaged in 1.5% and 4.3% less sedentary time during week and
weekend days, respectively and 4.5% and 13.1% more physical activity during week and weekend days, respectively
than children in the comparison group. Parent’s participation in sport and their physical activity levels, child’s sex, availability of media in the home and attendance at organised activities were significant predictors of sedentary time and physical activity in this age group.
Conclusion: A 10-week family focused active play intervention produced positive changes in sedentary time and
total physical activity levels in preschool children. Specific covariates were identified as having a significant effect on the outcome measures. Moreover, children whose parents were active engaged in less sedentary time and more
physical activity suggesting that parent’s activity habits are mediators of physical activity engagement in this age
group.
Keywords: Preschool children, Parent
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | 11 Medical And Health Sciences, 13 Education |
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics |
| Divisions: | Sport & Exercise Sciences |
| Publisher: | BIOMED CENTRAL LTD |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date Deposited: | 14 May 2015 09:06 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Sep 2021 14:24 |
| DOI or ID number: | 10.1186/1479-5868-9-117 |
| URI: | https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/1066 |
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