School-Based Homework Interventions for Improving 24-hour Movement Behaviours in Primary School Children: A...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• School-based interventions are common for improving children's physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep.
• Homework as an intervention method for 24-hour movement behaviors remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of school-based interventions using homework to improve 24-hour movement behaviors in primary school children.
• To examine how study characteristics moderate intervention effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of multiple databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, etc.) for relevant studies.
• Inclusion of randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, and mixed-methods studies with quantitative data.
• Meta-analyses (random-effects model) to calculate standardized mean differences (Hedges' g), supplemented by subgroup analyses and meta-regressions.

Main Results:

• Nineteen studies with 13,160 participants were analyzed.
• Interventions significantly improved sleep (g=1.06) and reduced SB (g=-0.20).
• No significant effects on PA were found, though longer intervention durations positively impacted PA.

Conclusions:

• School-based homework interventions show promise for improving sleep and reducing SB in children.
• Future interventions should prioritize reducing SB and enhancing sleep quality.
• There is a need for interventions that comprehensively address all 24-hour movement behaviors.