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Reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing physical activity among 10-year-old children: overview and process
Jo Salmon1, Kylie Ball, David Crawford
1Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. jsalmon@deakin.edu.au
Insights
Childhood obesity prevention is critical. The Switch-Play trial combined behavioral modification and motor skills to reduce screen time and increase physical activity in 10-year-olds.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Behavioral Science
- Physical Education
Background:
- Childhood overweight and obesity rates have doubled in Australia, necessitating primary prevention strategies.
- Urgent need for interventions to curb current and future unhealthy weight gain in children.
- The Switch-Play randomized controlled trial was designed to address this public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development of the 'Switch-Play' randomized controlled trial (RCT) for preventing unhealthy weight gain in 10-year-old children.
- To report the findings of the process evaluation of the Switch-Play intervention.
- To assess the feasibility and delivery of behavioral modification and fundamental motor skills interventions.
Main Methods:
- A cluster randomized controlled trial involving 10-year-old children from three primary schools.
- Four intervention groups: behavioral modification (BM), fundamental motor skills (FMS), combined BM and FMS, and a control group.
- Interventions included 19 sessions focused on reducing screen time, promoting physical activity alternatives, and mastering motor skills.
Main Results:
- High engagement reported, with 88% lesson attendance and high enjoyment.
- In-class tasks completion was high (92%), while at-home tasks varied (57-62%).
- Over half of children reduced TV viewing; less than half increased physical activity.
Conclusions:
- The Switch-Play intervention was largely successfully delivered as intended to the majority of participating children.
- The program components were well-received, with high reported enjoyment by children and parents.
- While TV reduction was noted, increasing physical activity requires further focus in future interventions.
Abstract:
Overweight and obesity has doubled among children in Australia. There is an urgent need to develop primary prevention strategies to prevent current and future unhealthy weight gain. The aims of this paper are to describe a randomized controlled trial ('Switch-Play') developed to prevent unhealthy weight gain among 10-year-old children and to report the findings of the process evaluation. Children from three government primary schools were randomized by class to one of four conditions: a behavioural modification group (BM; n = 69); a fundamental motor skills group (FMS; n = 73); a combined BM and FMS group (n = 90); or a control (usual classroom lessons) group (n = 61). Children in the BM group participated in 19 sessions that encouraged them to reduce screen-based behaviours, and identified physical activity alternatives. The FMS group participated in 19 lessons that focused on mastery of six skills: run, throw, dodge, strike, vertical jump and kick. The combined group participated in all the BM and FMS activities. The intervention specialist teacher reported that the children showed high enjoyment and engagement (88% lessons attended) in most aspects of the programme. At-home tasks were completed by 57-62% of the children, and 92% completed the in-class tasks. Two-thirds of the children in the BM group participated in the behavioural contracting to switch off the TV. Most of the children reported high enjoyment of the programmes, and only a small proportion (7-17%) reported difficulties in switching off their nominated TV shows. More than half the children reported reducing their TV viewing; however, less than half reported increasing their physical activity. It was found that most aspects of the intervention arms of the programme were successfully delivered to the majority of children participating in 'Switch-Play'; that the programmes were delivered as intended; and that the programmes were favourably evaluated by participating children and their parents.
