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BC Place – Session 3, Tuesday, May 30, 2006 from 10:30 – 12:00
Abstract Title: Action Schools! BC: Increasing physical activity through a school-based physical activity intervention
Presenting Author:
Laura Kravetsky, BESS, Student
Faculty of Medicine
Experimental Medicine Program
University of British Columbia
c/o #575 – 828 West10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L8
Additional Authors:
Katherine Reed, MSc,
School of Human Kinetics
University of British Columbia
Dr. Patti-Jean Naylor
School of Physical Education
University of Victoria
Heather Macdonald, BSc
School of Human Kinetics
University of British Columbia
Objective:
Physical inactivity is associated with chronic disease, including obesity and Type II Diabetes. This problem is increasing among school-age children in British Columbia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether Action Schools! BC (AS! BC), a school-based physical activity model, could increase physical activity levels among children.
Methods:
This was a 29-month randomized controlled trial. Students were randomized by school to participate in the AS! BC model (7 schools, n=235) or to continue with their usual school practice related to physical activity (3 schools, n=111). The AS! BC model was designed to deliver 150 minute of physical activity per week in 6 ‘Action Zones’ including 15 minutes of classroom-based physical activity daily. Leisure-time physical activity was assessed by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) and the primary outcome was a general physical activity score (PA score) on a 1-5 scale (1=low active, 5=high active). We used ANCOVA to compare change in PA score between groups with baseline PA score as a covariate.
Results:
At baseline, students were 10.2 (± 0.6) years old. The control group was more active than the AS! BC group (p = 0.05). After 29-months, AS! BC students had a 4.2% increase in PA score whereas students in the control group reported a 4.7% decrease in PA score (p=0.004).
Conclusion:
AS! BC is an effective model for increasing physical activity among elementary school children.