Background/Purpose: Most children are not meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines of participating in at least 60-minutes per day (Oliver, Schofield, & McEvoy, 2006) and are therefore at a higher risk for developing overweight and obesity (Horne, Hardman, Lowe, & Rowlands, 2009). Accordingly, the purpose of this research project was to track the effects of the FIT (Fitness Improves Thinking) Kids afterschool program on step counts during formal PA lessons. As part of a large-scale research study, this program attempted to improve aerobic fitness levels and subsequently cognitive performance of 8- and 9-year-old children over a single academic year.
Method: By school, 40 third and fourth graders (Males = 20) at four sites were randomly assigned to the PA intervention. Each day afterschool the participants engaged in at least 75-minutes of PA, received a healthy snack, and spent 15 minutes completing an educational component. During the PA, participants wore Accusplit pedometers at least one time per week to measure step counts to confirm that the lesson had met or exceeded the recommended rate of steps for formal instruction (1,100 for females and 1,300 for males; Morgan & Pangrazzi, 2002). Lesson content met the IL Learning Standards for Growth and Development and was selected from the CATCH, SPARK, and/or Energizers programs. Pre/post data collection also included VO2 max, BMI, a series of cognitive tests, and demographic variables, which are reported elsewhere.
Analysis/Results: ANOVA revealed that males and females had similar step counts (Mmales=3699.10, SD=1114.94; Mfemales=3118.23, SD=432.46; p=.12) with all participants exceeding the recommended step count for instructional settings. When lesson content was held constant, individual step count significantly increased (p < .05) over the 34 weeks. There was no difference in step counts between treatment sites (p=.62). Pearson correlations revealed no significant relationships among step counts during instruction (p=.47), demographics (p=.20), and post test aerobic fitness. Similar steps were taken in- (M = 3443.18, SD = 753.99) and outdoors (M = 3415.35, SD = 730.80; p=.81).
Conclusions: Findings indicate that the FIT Kids participants at both program sites received similar lessons and achieved recommended step counts for health benefits. Third and fourth graders can be taught to monitor their own step count rate as a means of meeting national PA guidelines. Participation in the afterschool PA program can help children achieve the minimum recommended amount of PA needed for maintaining health.
Sponsor: NIH-NICHD R01 HD055352