OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a multi-component school-based physical activity intervention (Fit-4-Fun) on health-related fitness and objectively measured physical activity in primary school children. METHODS: Four Hunter primary schools were recruited in April, 2011 and randomized by school into treatment or control conditions. Participants included 213 children (mean age 10.72 years +/- 0.6; 52.2% female) with the treatment group (n = 118) completing the 8-week Fit-4-Fun program. Participants were assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up, with a 91% retention rate. Cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) (20 m shuttle run) was the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes included body composition (BMI, BMIz), muscular fitness (7-stage sit-up test, push-up test, basketball throw test, standing jump), flexibility (sit and reach) and physical activity (7 days pedometry). RESULTS: After 6-months, significant treatment effects were found for CRF (adjusted mean difference 1.14 levels, p < 0.001), body composition (BMI mean -0.96 kg/m2, p < 0.001 and BMI z-score mean -0.47 z-scores, p < 0.001), flexibility (sit and reach mean 1.52 cm, p = 0.0013), muscular fitness (sit-ups) (mean 0.62 stages, p = 0.003) and physical activity (mean 3253 steps/day, p < 0.001). There were no group by time effects for the other muscular fitness measures. CONCLUSIONS: A primary school-based intervention focusing on fitness education significantly improved health-related fitness and physical activity levels in children.
Copyright by Academic Press.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher