Method: This study is part of a 3-year group randomized controlled trial to improve snacks served and increase MVPA of children attending ASPs. Twenty ASPs serving 1800 children, and employing 121 staff participated. This study reports first year (spring 2013 & spring 2014) changes in staff behaviors. Programs were matched and randomized into immediate-intervention or 1-year-delayed-group. Immediate-intervention programs received professional development training targeting 18 HEPA promotion behaviors, and ongoing technical support/assistance in fall 2013 and spring 2014. The 1-year-delayed-group continued routine practice. Staff promotion behaviors were measured using the System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition (SOSPAN).
Analysis/Results: Mixed effects regression models estimated the interaction of measurement period and treatment condition on staff behaviors. Staff PA promotion behaviors were expressed as the percentage of scans a behavior was observed during a PA opportunity. Standards call for staff to display HE behaviors daily or weekly. These behaviors are expressed as the percentage of days observed. A total of 4147 SOSPAN scans were completed during PA opportunities and 143 snack periods were observed. Changes in staff PA promotion behaviors in the immediate-intervention group ranged from a 13.4% reduction in staff leading elimination games to a 17.7% increase in staff engaging in activity with children. Staff HE promotion behaviors ranged from a 42.7% reduction in the percent of days staff drank beverages other than water to a 32.7% increase in staff promoting HE. After the intervention staff in the immediate-intervention group promoted HE, ate snack with children, and provided healthy eating education on 37.9%, 28.4%, and 29.9% more days than the 1-year-delayed-group, respectively. During PA opportunities staff in the immediate-intervention group verbally promoted PA and were physically active with children 11.8% and 14.6% more often, than the 1-year-delayed-group, respectively. Staff in the immediate-intervention group also led elimination games and gave instructions 15.5%, 5.0% less often than the 1-year-delayed-group, respectively. Ten staff behaviors targeted in the training program showed no difference between immediate-intervention and 1-year-delayed-group.
Conclusions: Professional development training can impact HEPA promotion behaviors that are linked to increasing children’s HEPA. However, additional work is required to refine trainings targeting staff behaviors.