School-based Interventions to Reduce Sedentary Behaviour in Children: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Prolonged sedentary time in children is linked to increased health risks, including Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
• Children spend a significant portion of their day, approximately 80%, engaged in sedentary behaviors, with much of this occurring at school.
• Existing school-based interventions to reduce sedentary time have yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of school-based interventions aimed at reducing objectively measured sedentary time in children.
• To evaluate various intervention strategies targeting sedentary behavior in the school environment.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of peer-reviewed studies published in English up to August 2015 was conducted using five electronic databases.
• Included studies reported objectively measured sedentary time before and after a school-based intervention.
• Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration method.

Main Results:

• Eleven papers reporting eight distinct interventions were identified.
• Interventions encompassed modifications to the physical environment, curriculum, in-class activities, homework, or combined strategies.
• Only three studies reported a significant decrease in sedentary time; none were judged to have a low risk of bias.

Conclusions:

• Multicomponent interventions, particularly those incorporating standing desks, show potential for reducing children's sedentary time in schools.
• Further long-term trials are necessary to establish the sustained effectiveness of these interventions on children's sedentary behavior.