Limited effects of a 2-year school-based physical activity intervention on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in 7-year-old children

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 2-year cluster-randomized physical activity and dietary intervention program among 7-year-old (at baseline) elementary school participants on body composition and objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness. Three pairs of schools were selected...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health education research 2012-06, Vol.27 (3), p.484-494
Main Authors: Magnusson, Kristjan Thor, Hrafnkelsson, Hannes, Sigurgeirsson, Ingvar, Johannsson, Erlingur, Sveinsson, Thorarinn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Body Composition
Body Mass Index
Child
Children
Composition
Control Groups
Diet
Effect Size
Elementary School Students
Elementary schools
Exercise
Female
Fitness
Gender Differences
Health Promotion - methods
Health technology assessment
Humans
Iceland
Intervention
Male
Obesity - prevention & control
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Physical Activities
Physical activity
Physical Fitness
Schools
Students
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 2-year cluster-randomized physical activity and dietary intervention program among 7-year-old (at baseline) elementary school participants on body composition and objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness. Three pairs of schools were selected and matched, then randomly selected as either an intervention (n = 151) or control school (n = 170). None of the effect sizes of body composition were statistically significant. Children in the intervention group increased their fitness by an average of 0.37 z score units more than the controls (95% CI:-0.27 to 1.01, P = 0.18), representing an improvement of 0.286 W/kg. Boys had higher fitness (meandiff = 0.35 z scores, 95% CI: 0.130.58, P = 0.001) than girls, independent of study group, fitness z score at baseline and body mass index. Post hoc analysis showed that the intervention school with the highest fitness z score change was significantly different from two of the lowest control schools (meandiff = 0.83 scores, z 95% CI: 0.44-1.21, P < 0.0001 and meandiff = 0.70 z scores, 95% CI: 0.29-1.10, P = 0.01), but it was also significantly different from the lowest intervention school (meandiff = 0.59 z scores, 95% CI: 0.19-0.99, P = 0.05). The results of this intervention are inconclusive as regards to the effects on fitness, but the inter-vention did not have any statistically significant effect on body composition.
ISSN:0268-1153
1465-3648
DOI:10.1093/her/cys049