Full metadata
Title
Before-school running-walking club: effects on physical activity and on-task behavior
Description
Background: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns in the United States and has been associated with low levels of physical activity. Schools are ideal physical activity promotion sites but school physical activity opportunities have decreased due the increased focus on academic performance. Before-school programs provide a good opportunity for children to engage in physical activity as well as improve their readiness to learn. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a before-school running/walking club on children's physical activity and on-task behavior. Methods: Participants were third and fourth grade children from two schools in the Southwestern United States who participated in a before-school running/walking club that met two times each week. The study employed a two-phase experimental design with an initial baseline phase and an alternating treatments phase. Physical activity was monitored using pedometers and on-task behavior was assessed through systematic observation. Data analysis included visual analysis, descriptive statistics, as well as multilevel modeling. Results: Children accumulated substantial amounts of physical activity within the before-school program (School A: 1731 steps, 10:02 MVPA minutes; School B: 1502 steps, 8:30 MVPA minutes) and, on average, did not compensate by decreasing their physical activity during the rest of the school day. Further, on-task behavior was significantly higher on days the children attended the before-school program than on days they did not (School A=15.78%, pseudo-R2=.34 [strong effect]; School B=14.26%, pseudo-R2=.22 [moderate effect]). Discussion: Results provide evidence for the positive impact of before-school programs on children's physical activity and on-task behavior. Such programs do not take time away from academics and may be an attractive option for schools.
Date Created
2014
Contributors
- Stylianou, Michalis (Author)
- Kulinna, Pamela H. (Thesis advisor)
- Van Der Mars, Hans (Committee member)
- Amazeen, Eric (Committee member)
- Adams, Marc (Committee member)
- Mahar, Matthew T. (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
- Physical Education
- Classroom Behavior
- Elementary School
- Exercise
- Physical fitness for children--United States.
- Physical fitness for children
- Exercise for children--United States.
- Exercise for children
- School children--Health and hygiene--United States.
- School children
- Attention in children--United States.
- Attention in children
- Cognition--Effect of exercise on--United States.
- Cognition
Resource Type
Extent
viii, 160 p. : ill
Language
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.24839
Statement of Responsibility
by Michalis Stylianou
Description Source
Viewed on May 7, 2015
Level of coding
full
Note
Partial requirement for: Ph. D., Arizona State University, 2014
Note type
thesis
Includes bibliographical references
Note type
bibliography
Field of study: Physical education
System Created
- 2014-06-09 02:08:01
System Modified
- 2021-08-30 01:35:47
- 2 years 8 months ago
Additional Formats