Contextual factors related to physical activity during daily middle school physical education. Suspected Motor Problems and Low Preference for Active Play in Childhood Are Associated with Physical Inactivity and Low Fitness in Adolescence Physical activity and skills intervention: SCORES cluster randomized controlled trial. Methods of the NSW Schools Fitness and Physical Activity Survey, 1997. Relationship between the intensity of physical activity, inactivity, cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in 7–10-year-old Dublin children Improvements in fundamental movement skill competency mediate the effect of the SCORES intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children Effects of two physical education programmes on health- and skill-related physical fitness of Albanian children Body mass index, fitness and physical activity from childhood through adolescence Correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian adolescents. Rationale and study protocol for the supporting children’s outcomes using rewards, exercise and skills (SCORES) group randomized controlled trial: A physical activity and fundamental movement skills intervention for primary schools in low-income communities A multi-modal training programme to improve physical activity, physical fitness and perceived physical ability in obese children Screen time, cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity among school-age children from Monteria, Colombia. Physical activity and obesity mediate the association between childhood motor function and adolescents’ academic achievement Deliberate Play and Preparation Jointly Benefit Motor and Cognitive Development: Mediated and Moderated Effects Benefits of a worksite or home‐based bench stepping intervention for sedentary middle‐aged adults – a pilot study Cross sectional analysis of the association between mode of school transportation and physical fitness in children and adolescents Impact of Latin Dance on Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Sedentary Behavior Among Latinos Attending an Adult Day Center Effects of a life skills intervention for increasing physical activity in adolescent girls. Cost-effectiveness of lifestyle and structured exercise interventions in sedentary adults: results of project ACTIVE. Physical activity to prevent obesity in young children: cluster randomised controlled trial Incorporating health-fitness concepts in secondary physical education curricula. Physical fitness and shapes of subcortical brain structures in children. A family based tailored counselling to increase non-exercise physical activity in adults with a sedentary job and physical activity in their young children: design and methods of a year-long randomized controlled trial
OBJECTIVES Given the importance of optimizing physical activity in adolescents , the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of activity mode , environment , and semester on step counts/minute and MVPA during daily middle-school physical education ( PE ) . DESIGN A prospect i ve and observational research design . METHODS Participants included 232 students ( Mean age=13.3±0.4 years ) recruited from the seventh and eighth grade s from one public middle-school in the U.S. Activity modes were employed across the school year including motor skills , games , and fitness activities located in indoor and outdoor environments . Step counts/minute and MVPA  were monitored across 132 PE lessons during Fall and Spring semesters using NL-1000 piezoelectric pedometers . A three-way Multivariate Analysis of Covariance ( MANCOVA ) was employed to examine the effect of activity mode ( skill games vs. fitness ) , environment ( indoors vs. outdoors ) , and semester ( Fall vs. Spring ) on student step counts/minute and MVPA . MANCOVA was followed by separate ANCOVA tests . RESULTS MANCOVA yielded a statistically significant three-way interaction ( Wilks ' Λ=0.98 F(2 , 1153)=8.9 , P<0.001 ) . Follow-up tests supported that physical activity was higher during outdoor fitness activities in the Fall compared to indoor motor skills in the Spring for step counts/minute ( Mean difference=27.0 steps/minute , P<0.001 , Cohen 's d=1.6 ) and MVPA ( Mean difference=7.8min , P<0.001 , Cohen 's d=2.0 ) . CONCLUSIONS Daily middle-school physical activity was the highest during outdoor fitness activities in the Fall and the lowest during indoor motor skill games in the Spring Background This prospect i ve longitudinal study investigates whether suspected motor problems and low preference for active play in childhood are associated with  physical inactivity and low cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescence . Methodology /Principal Findings The study sample consisted of the Northern Finl and Birth Cohort 1986 ( NFBC 1986 ) composed of 5,767 children whose parents responded to a postal inquiry concerning their children 's motor skills at age 8 years and who themselves reported their physical activity at age 16 years .  Cardiorespiratory fitness  was measured with a  cycle ergometer test at age 16 years . Odds ratios ( OR ) and their 95 % confidence intervals ( 95 % CI ) for the level of physical activity and fitness were obtained from multinomial logistic regression and adjusted for socio-economic position and body mass index . Low preference for active play in childhood was associated with physical inactivity ( boys : OR 3.31 , 95 % CI 2.42–4.53 ; girls : OR 1.79 , 95 % CI 1.36–2.36 ) and low cardiorespiratory fitness ( boys : OR 1.87 , 95 % CI 1.27–2.74 ; girls : OR 1.52 , 95 % CI 1.09–2.11 ) in adolescence . Suspected gross ( OR 2.16 , 95 % CI 1.33–3.49 ) and fine ( OR 1.88 , 95 % CI 1.35–2.60 ) motor problems were associated with physical inactivity among boys . Children with suspected motor problems and low preference for active play  tended to have an even higher risk of physical inactivity in adolescence . Conclusions / Significance Low preference for active play in childhood was associated with physical inactivity and low cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescence . Furthermore , children with suspected motor problems and low preference for active play tended to have an even higher risk of physical inactivity in adolescence . Identification of children who do not prefer active play and who have motor problems may allow targeted interventions to support their motor learning and participation in active play and thereby promote their physical activity and fitness in later life PURPOSE  Physical activity ( PA  ) declines dramatically during adolescence , and activity levels are consistently lower among children living in low-income communities . Competency in a range of fundamental movement skills ( FMS ) may serve as a protective factor against the decline in PA typically observed during adolescence . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 12-month multicomponent PA and FMS intervention on children attending primary schools in low-income communities . METHODS The Supporting Children 's Outcomes using Rewards , Exercise , and Skills intervention was evaluated using a cluster r and omized controlled trial . The sample included 25 classes from eight primary schools located in low-income communities . Participants were 460 children ( 54.1 % girls ) age 8.5 ± 0.6 yr . Primary outcomes were objective ly measured PA ( ActiGraph GT3X and GT3X+ accelerometers ) , FMS competency ( Test of Gross Motor Development 2 , six locomotor and six object control skills ) , and cardiorespiratory fitness ( 20-m multistage fitness test ) assessed at baseline , midprogram ( 6-months ) , and at posttest ( 12 months ) . Linear mixed models , adjusted for sex , age , body mass index z-score , socioeconomic status , ethnicity , and school class as a r and om factor , were used to assess the effect of the intervention . RESULTS At midprogram , there were no significant intervention effects for any of the outcomes . At posttest ( study 's primary time point ) , there were intervention effects for daily moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) ( adjusted mean difference , 12.7 min·d of MVPA ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) , 5.0 - 20.5 ) , overall FMS competency ( 4.9 units ; 95 % CI , -0.04 to 9.8 ) , and cardiorespiratory fitness ( 5.4 laps ; 95 % CI , 2.3 - 8.6 ) . CONCLUSIONS A school-based multicomponent PA and FMS intervention maintained daily MVPA , improved overall FMS competency , and increased cardiorespiratory fitness among children attending primary schools in low-income communities Physical fitness , participation in physical activity , fundamental motor skills and body composition are important contributors to the health and the development of a healthy lifestyle among children and youth . The New South Wales Schools  Fitness and Physical Activity Survey , 1997 , was conducted to fill some of the gaps in our knowledge of these aspects of the lives of young people in New South Wales . The survey was conducted in February and March , 1997 and collected data on a r and omly-selected sample of students ( n = 5518 ) in Years 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 and 10 . Measures were taken on body composition ( height and weight , waist and hip girths , skinfolds ) , health-related fitness ( aerobic capacity , muscular strength , muscular endurance , flexibility ) , fundamental motor skills ( run , vertical jump , catch , overh and throw , foreh and strike and kick ) , self-reported physical activity , time spent in sedentary recreation , and physical education ( PE ) classes . The methods are described to assist in the development of surveys of other population s and to provoke debate relevant to the development and dissemination of st and ard approaches to monitoring the fitness , physical activity habits and body composition of Australian children and youth . Finally , we offer comments on some of the strengths and limitations of the methods employed Objective : To investigate the relationships between the time spent in specific intensities of activity and inactivity ,  cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in children . Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted in a r and om sample of schools . Height , weight and waist circumference were measured in 224 children aged 7–10 years . Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated by the 20 m multistage running test , and physical activity was measured over 4 days by the RT3 ( a triaxial accelerometer ) . Time each day spent in moderate and vigorous intensities of activity was calculated . Results : Twelve schools agreed to participate in the study .  Body composition and fitness data were obtained for 224 children and activity data for 152 children . Boys were found to take part in about twice as much vigorous and hard activity as girls ( mean ( 95 % confidence interval ) 64.3 ( 53.2 to 75.4 ) min in boys compared with 37 ( 33.1 to 40.9 ) min in girls ; p<0.001 ) . In boys there was significant difference between those defined as normal , overweight and obese in the time spent in vigorous activity ( p<0.05 ) , but no such difference was found in girls . A significant negative correlation between waist circumference and time spent in vigorous activity ( r = –0.31 , p<0.05 ) was found in boys but not in girls . Time spent sedentary was positively correlated with waist circumference in boys ( r = 0.33 , p<0.01 ) but not in girls . In both boys and girls there were significant negative correlations between fitness and both body mass index ( r = –0.274 , p<0.001 ) and waist circumference ( boys : r = –0.503 , p<0.01 ; girls : r = –0.286 , p<0.01 ) . Conclusion : In boys , body composition was inversely related to fitness and to vigorous activity and was positively related to inactivity . In girls , body composition was related to fitness but not to specific components of physical activity Abstract Numerous studies have identified a positive association between fundamental movement skill ( FMS ) competency and physical activity in children ; however , the causal pathways have not been established . The aim of this study is to determine if changes in FMS competency mediated the effect of the Supporting Children ’s Outcomes using Rewards , Exercise and Skills ( SCORES ) intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children . Eight primary schools ( 25 classes ) and 460 children ( aged 8.5 ± 0.6 , 54 % girls ) were r and omised to the SCORES intervention or control group for the 12-month study . The outcomes were accelerometer-determined moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) and cardiorespiratory fitness . The hypothesised mediators were actual FMS competency and perceived sport competence . Mediation analyses were conducted using multilevel linear analysis in MPlus . From the original sample , 138 ( 30.0 % ) and 370 ( 80.4 % ) children provided useable physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness data at post-test assessment s. There were significant treatment effects for locomotor skills and overall FMSs . Changes in MVPA were associated with changes in object-control skills , overall FMSs and perceived competence . The overall FMSs had a significant mediating effect on MVPA ( AB = 2.09 , CI = 0.01–4.55 ) . Overall FMSs ( AB = 1.19 , CI = 0.002–2.79 ) and locomotor skills ( AB = 0.74 , CI = 0.01–1.69 ) had a significant mediating effect on cardiorespiratory fitness . The results of this study conclude that actual but not perceived movement skill competency mediated the effect of the SCORES intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness Abstract This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two school-based physical education ( PE ) programmes ( exercise-based and games-based ) compared with traditional PE , on health- and skill-related physical fitness components in children in Tirana , Albania . Participants were 378 first- grade ( 6.8 years ) and 389 fourth- grade ( 9.8 years ) children attending four r and omly selected schools in Tirana . Twenty-four school classes within these schools were r and omly selected ( stratified by school and school grade ) to participate as exercise group ( EG ) , games group ( GG ) and control group ( CG ) . Both EG and GG intervention programmes were taught by professional PE teachers using station/circuit teaching framework while CG referred to traditional PE school lessons by a general teacher . All programmes ran in parallel and lasted 5 months , having the same frequency ( twice weekly ) and duration ( 45 min ) . Heart rate ( HR ) monitoring showed that intensity during PE lessons was significantly higher in the intervention groups compared with control ( P < 0.001 ) . Both PE exercise- and games programmes  significantly improved several health- and skill-related fitness indicators compared with traditional PE lessons ( e.g. gross motor skill summary score : 9.4 ( 95 % CI 7.9 ; 10.9 ) for exercise vs. control and 6.5 ( 95 % CI 5.1 ; 8.1 ) for games vs. control , cardiorespiratory fitness : 2.0 ml O2 · min−1 · kg−1 ( 95 % CI 1.5 ; 2.4 ) for exercise vs. control and 1.4 ml O2 · min−1 · kg−1 ( 95 % CI 1.0 ; 1.8 ) for games vs. control ) . Furthermore , compared to games-based PE , exercise-based PE showed more positive changes in some gross motor coordination skills outcomes , coordination skills outcomes and cardiorespiratory fitness . The results from this study show that exercise- and games-based PE represents a useful strategy for improving health- and skill-related physical fitness in Albanian elementary school children . In addition , the study shows that exercise-based PE was more  effective than games-based PE in improving gross motor function and cardiorespiratory fitness Background Obesity , sedentary lifestyle and poor cardiorespiratory fitness in childhood may increase the risk of health problems later in life . Purpose The authors studied the association of early childhood weight status with cardiorespiratory fitness and leisure-time physical activity ( LTPA ) in adolescence . The stability and associations of LTPA and fitness from childhood through adolescence were also studied . Methods  Body mass index ( BMI ) was assessed annually since birth in a prospect i ve , longitudinal study . The mean BMI between ages 2 and 7 years indicated weight status at preschool age . Fitness was studied with a shuttle run test at age 9 and with a maximal cycle ergometer test at age 17 . The same question naire was used to assess LTPA at age 9 , 13 and 17 . Complete data on preschool BMI , LTPA at ages 13 and 17 and fitness at age 17 years was provided by 351 children , while fitness and LTPA data were available for 74 children at ages 9 and 17 . Results Preschool BMI was inversely associated with fitness in adolescence independently of adolescent LTPA ( p=0.0001 ) . Children who had a high preschool BMI but whose weight status was reduced in adolescence had similar fitness in adolescence as the children with a persistently low BMI . Regardless of the fitness level in childhood , the children whose LTPA increased between age 9 and 17 had a similar adolescent fitness level as persistently active subjects . Conclusions It is important to maintain a healthy body weight and a physically active lifestyle from very childhood through adolescence to improve fitness during adolescence OBJECTIVE To analyze socioeconomic indicators , physical activity ( PA ) opportunities , and behavioral correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian boys and girls . METHODS A sample of 1555 adolescents was r and omly selected . Age- and sex-specific st and ard scores were calculated for each fitness component . RESULTS Among boys , head of household 's schooling , involvement in organized PA , meeting the PA recommendations , and computer/games use were associated with cardiorespiratory fitness . Involvement in organized PA and active time in Physical Education ( PE ) classes were predictors of muscular fitness . Among girls , active time in PE classes and TV watching were predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness . Meeting the PA recommendations was associated with muscular fitness . CONCLUSION PA variables and sedentary behaviors should be independently considered for physical fitness promotion in youth Background Many Australian children are insufficiently active to accrue health benefits and physical activity ( PA ) levels are consistently lower among youth of low socio-economic position .  PA levels decline dramatically during adolescence and evidence suggests that competency in a range of fundamental movement skills ( FMS ) may serve as a protective factor against this trend . Methods / design The Supporting Children ’s Outcomes Using Rewards Exercise and Skills ( SCORES ) intervention is a multi-component PA and FMS intervention for primary schools in low-income communities , which will be evaluated using a group r and omized controlled trial . The socio-ecological model provided a framework for the 12-month intervention , which includes the following components : teacher professional learning , student leadership workshops ( including leadership accreditation and rewards , e.g. , stickers , water bottles ) , PA policy review , PA equipment packs , parental engagement via newsletters , FMS homework and a parent evening , and community partnerships with local sporting organizations . Outcomes will be assessed at baseline , 6- and 12-months . The primary outcomes are PA ( accelerometers ) , FMS ( Test of Gross Motor Development II ) and cardiorespiratory fitness ( multi-stage fitness test ) . Secondary outcomes include body mass index [ using weight (kg)/height ( m2 ) ] , perceived competence , physical self-esteem , and resilience . Individual and environmental mediators of behavior change ( e.g. social support and enjoyment ) will also be assessed . The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time will be used to assess the impact of the intervention on PA within physical education lessons . Statistical analyses will follow intention-to-treat principles and hypothesized mediators of PA behavior change will be explored . Discussion SCORES is an innovative primary school-based PA and FMS intervention design ed to support students attending schools in low-income communities to be more skilled and active . The findings from the study may be used to guide teacher pre-service education , professional learning and school policy in primary schools . Trial registration Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry No : Abstract Actual and perceived physical abilities are important correlates of  physical activity ( PA ) and fitness , but little research has explored these relationships over time in obese children . This study was design ed : ( a ) to assess the feasibility of a multi-modal training programme promoting changes in PA , fundamental motor skills and real and perceived physical abilities of obese children ; and ( b ) to explore cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between real and perceived physical competence in boys and girls . Forty-one participants ( 9.2 ± 1.2 years ) were assessed before and after an 8-month intervention with respect to body composition , physical fitness , self-reported PA and perceived physical ability . After treatment , obese children reported improvements in the body mass index , PA levels , gross motor performance and actual and perceived physical abilities . Real and perceived physical competence was correlated in boys , but not in girls . Results indicate that a multi-modal programme focused on actual and perceived physical competence as associated with the gradual increase in the volume of activity might be an effective strategy to improve adherence of the participants and to increase the lifelong exercise skills of obese children OBJECTIVES To explore the association between electronic media exposure ( television viewing time , personal computer/video game use , total screen time ) , and waist circumference and body mass index , and study whether this association is independent of cardiorespiratory fitness , in a representative sample of adolescents from Montería , Colombia . DESIGN Cross-sectional study analyzing data from 546 students aged 11 - 18 years , from fourteen r and omly selected schools .  Z-scores for WC and BMI were calculated . METHODS The physical activity module of the Global School Health Survey 2007 was used to determine EME , and the shuttle run test was used to assess CRF . Linear regression models adjusted by age , school location , physical activity level , type of institution ( public or private ) , consumption of sweetened beverages , fast food , and fried food were used . RESULTS Among boys , independently of cardiorespiratory fitness , high television viewing time ( ≥ 2 h/day ) ( β=+0.22 ; p<0.02 ) , was positively associated with waist circumference . High total screen time ( > 3h/day ) was positively associated with waist circumference ( β=+0.34 ; p<0.01 ) , and body mass index ( β=+0.39 ; p<0.01 ) . Among girls , sedentary behavior was not associated with adiposity , but cardiorespiratory fitness ( β=-0.04 ; p<0.02 ) was negatively associated with body mass index . CONCLUSIONS These findings support the evidence on the negative impact of excessive electronic media exposure and low cardiorespiratory fitness , and highlight the need for interventions and prevention strategies The global epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity may have detrimental implication s for young people ’s  cognitive function and academic achievement . This prospect i ve study investigated whether childhood motor function predicts later academic achievement via physical activity , fitness , and obesity . The study sample included 8,061 children from the Northern Finl and Birth Cohort 1986 , which contains data about parent-reported motor function at age 8 y and self-reported physical activity , predicted cardiorespiratory fitness ( cycle ergometer test ) , obesity ( body weight and height ) , and academic achievement ( grade s ) at age 16 y.  Structural equation models with unst and ardized ( B ) and st and ardized ( β ) coefficients were used to test whether , and to what extent , physical activity , cardiorespiratory fitness , and obesity at age 16 mediated the association between childhood motor function and adolescents ’ academic achievement . Physical activity was associated with a higher grade -point average , and obesity was associated with a lower grade -point average in adolescence . Furthermore , compromised motor function in childhood had a negative indirect effect on adolescents ’ academic achievement via physical inactivity ( B = –0.023 , 95 % confidence interval = –0.031 , –0.015 ) and obesity ( B = –0.025 , 95 % confidence interval = –0.039 , –0.011 ) , but not via cardiorespiratory fitness . These results suggest that physical activity and obesity may mediate the association between childhood motor function and adolescents ’ academic achievement . Compromised motor function in childhood may represent an important factor driving the effects of obesity and physical inactivity on academic underachievement In light of the interrelation between motor and cognitive development and the predictive value of the former for the latter , the secular decline observed in motor coordination ability as early as preschool urges identification of interventions that may jointly impact motor and cognitive efficiency . The aim of this study was twofold . It ( 1 ) explored the outcomes of enriched physical education ( PE ) , centered on deliberate play and cognitively challenging variability of practice , on motor coordination and cognitive processing ; ( 2 ) examined whether motor coordination outcomes mediate intervention effects on children ’s cognition , while controlling for moderation by lifestyle factors as outdoor play habits and weight status . Four hundred and sixty children aged 5–10 years participated in a 6-month group r and omized intervention in PE , with or without playful coordinative and cognitive enrichment . The weight status and spontaneous outdoor play habits of children ( parental report of outdoor play ) were evaluated at baseline . Before and after the intervention , motor developmental level ( Movement Assessment Battery for Children ) was evaluated in all children , who were then assessed either with a test of working memory ( R and om Number Generation task ) , or with a test of attention ( from the Cognitive Assessment System ) . Children assigned to the ‘ enriched ’ intervention showed more pronounced improvements in all motor coordination assessment s ( manual dexterity , ball skills , static/dynamic balance ) . The beneficial effect on ball skills was amplified by the level of spontaneous outdoor play and weight status . Among indices of executive function and attention , only that of inhibition showed a differential effect of intervention type . Moderated mediation showed that the better outcome of the enriched PE on ball skills mediated the better inhibition outcome , but only when the enrichment intervention was paralleled by a medium-to-high level of outdoor play . Results suggest that specifically tailored physical activity ( PA ) games provide a unique form of enrichment that impacts  children ’s cognitive development through motor coordination improvement , particularly object control skills , which are linked to children ’s PA habits later in life . Outdoor play appears to offer the natural ground for the stimulation by design ed PA games to take root in children ’s mind The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of a low‐volume , vigorous intensity bench stepping programme in sedentary middle‐aged adults . Thirty‐one healthy but sedentary adults ( 12 men ; 55–64 years ) took part in the study . Participants accumulated up to 9 min per day of stepping exercise on three days per week over the 4‐week experimental period  . Parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness , body composition and lower limb muscle strength were measured on three occasions : TS1 ( baseline test ) , TS2 ( following a 4‐week control period ) and TS3 ( following the 4‐week intervention ) . Data were analysed using a repeated‐ measures ANOVA . Adherence to the programme was excellent ( 96 % ) . Relative to the insignificant changes following the control period , parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness were significantly improved following training . No alterations in body composition or lower limb muscle strength were detected . These results show that less than 30 min per week of bench step exercise , accumulated in short bouts throughout the day , can improve parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness after only 4 weeks in previously sedentary middle‐aged adults . Due to its low‐cost , time‐efficient and discrete aspects , stepping exercise may have important implication s for public health initiatives that promote physical activity in a population who commonly report ‘ lack of time ’ as a barrier to physical activity Objective To investigate the associations between body composition , cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in relation to travel mode to school in children and adolescents . Method Children and adolescents from 40 elementary schools and 23 high schools representing all regions in Norway were invited to participate in the study . Anthropometry , cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness  were tested at the school location . Question naires were used in order to register mode of transport to school , age , gender and levels of leisure time physical activity . Results A total of 1694 ( i.e. 60 % of all invited participants ) children and adolescents at a mean age of 9.6 and 15.6 respectively ( SD = 0.4 for both groups ) were analyzed for associations with physical fitness variables . Males cycling to school had lower sum of skin folds than adolescents walking to school . Higher cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents and male cyclists compared to walkers and passive commuters were observed . Among children , cycling and walking to school , higher isometric muscle endurance in the back extensors compared to passive commuters was observed . Conclusion Based on this national representative cross-sectional examination of r and omly selected children and adolescents there is evidence that active commuting , especially cycling , is associated with a favourable body composition and better cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as compared to passive commuting Objective : The aim of this study was to determine whether a Latin dance program with sedentary behavior information would have an impact on physical activity , cardiorespiratory fitness ( CRF ) , and sedentary behavior among older Latinos attending an adult day center ( ADC ) . Method : Participants ( N = 21 , 75.4 ± 6.3 years old , Mini-Mental State Examination [ MMSE ] score = 22.4 ± 2.8 ) were r and omized into a dance or wait-list control group . Participants wore an accelerometer and inclinometer  and completed a  sedentary behavior question  naire , and a nonexercise equation was used to calculate CRF . Results : Findings indicate small to medium effect sizes in the desired direction during midpoint of the intervention for physical activity , sedentary behavior – related outcomes , CRF , and self-reported sedentary behavior in the dance group ; however ; dance participants did not maintain that trajectory for the remaining 2 months of the intervention . Discussion : Future studies may consider implementing behavioral strategies during midpoint of the intervention to encourage participants attending an ADC to maintain physical activity and sedentary behavior changes BACKGROUND Although adolescence is a time when physical activity levels decline , few interventions have targeted high school-aged girls in the school setting . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a life skills-oriented physical activity intervention for increasing overall physical activity in high school-aged girls . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial . SETTING Baltimore magnet high school . PARTICIPANTS A total of 221 ninth- grade girls , 83.0 % of whom were African American . Intervention Participants were r and omized to an 8-month physical intervention conducted in physical education class or to a st and ard physical education class ( control ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported estimated daily energy expenditure ( physical activity ) , self-reported sedentary activities ( television viewing and computer or Internet use ) , cardiorespiratory fitness , and selected cardiovascular disease risk factors . RESULTS Intervention classes spent 46.9 % of physical education class time in moderate to vigorous activity compared with 30.5 % of time for control classes ( P<.001 ) . There were no significant between-treatment group differences for mean daily energy expenditure ( P = .93 ) , moderate-intensity energy expenditure ( P = .77 ) , or hard to very hard energy expenditure ( P = .69 ) . The proportion of participants who spent 3 or more hours viewing television during school days declined from 22.3 % to 17.0 % in the intervention group , but remained at 26.7 % for the control group ( P = .03 ) . Both groups improved their cardiorespiratory fitness ( P<.001 ) . CONCLUSION A life skills-oriented physical education curriculum may need to be combined with other approaches to increase the magnitude of effects on physical activity behavior in predominantly African American high school-aged girls BACKGROUND Project ACTIVE was a r and omized clinical trial comparing two physical activity interventions , lifestyle and traditional structured exercise . The two interventions were evaluated and compared in terms of cost effectiveness and ability to enhance physical activity among sedentary adults . DESIGN This was a r and omized clinical trial . SETTING / PARTICIPANTS The study included 235 sedentary but healthy community-dwelling adults . INTERVENTION A center-based lifestyle intervention that consisted of behavioral skills training was compared to a structured exercise intervention that included supervised , center-based exercise . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measures of interest included cost , cardiorespiratory fitness , and physical activity . RESULTS Both interventions were effective in increasing physical activity and fitness . At 6 months , the costs of the lifestyle and structured interventions were , respectively , $ 46.53 and $ 190.24 per participant per month . At 24 months these costs were $ 17.15 and $ 49.31 per participant per month . At both 6 months and 24 months , the lifestyle intervention was more cost-effective than the structured intervention for most outcomes measures . CONCLUSIONS A behaviorally-based lifestyle intervention approach in which participants are taught behavioral skills to increase their physical activity by integrating moderate-intensity physical activity into their daily lives is more cost-effective than a structured exercise program in improving physical activity and cardiorespiratory health . This study represents one of the first attempts to compare the efficiency of intervention alternatives for improving physical activity among healthy , sedentary adults Objective To assess whether a physical activity intervention reduces body mass index in young children . Design Cluster r and omised controlled single blinded trial over 12 months . Setting Thirty six nurseries in Glasgow , Scotl and . Participants 545 children in their preschool year , mean age 4.2 years ( SD 0.2 ) at baseline . Intervention Enhanced physical activity programme in nursery ( three 30 minute sessions a week over 24 weeks ) plus home based health education aim ed at increasing physical activity through play and reducing sedentary behaviour . Main outcome measure Body mass index , expressed as a st and ard deviation score relative to UK 1990 reference data . Secondary measures were objective ly measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour ; fundamental movement skills ; and evaluation of the process . Results Group allocation had no significant effect on the primary outcome measure at six and 12 months or on measures of physical activity and sedentary behaviour by accelerometry . Children in the intervention group had significantly higher performance in movement skills tests than control children at six month follow-up ( P=0.0027 ; 95 % confidence interval 0.3 to 1.3 ) after adjustment for sex and baseline performance . Conclusions Physical activity can significantly improve motor skills but did not reduce body mass index in young children in this trial . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N36363490 This investigation ascertained effects of exposing high school students to classroom health-related fitness instruction involving a curriculum focused on the relationship of exercise to cardiorespiratory fitness , body composition , flexibility , strength ( particularly as it relates to abdominal and lower-back muscoskeletal function ) , and muscular endurance . The curriculum included lectures , labs , and readings as part of the physical education course work . Ninety ninth and 10th grade students were assigned r and omly to one of three physical education classes , which met daily for one , 12-week semester . Each class received the same skill-related instruction ; however , the two experimental classes , in lieu of skill activities , were exposed to classroom instruction and readings dealing with health fitness topics on a one or two day per week basis . The third class of students , the control group , was engaged strictly in skill activities daily . Students exposed to health-related fitness classroom instruction displayed significantly more positive attitudes toward physical activity and a better underst and ing of health-related fitness than students who did not receive such information A few studies have recently reported that higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with higher volumes of subcortical brain structures in children . It is , however , unknown how different fitness measures relate to shapes of subcortical brain nuclei . We aim ed to examine the association of the main health-related physical fitness components with shapes of subcortical brain structures in a sample of forty-four Spanish children aged 9·7 ( sd 0·2 ) years from the NUtraceuticals for a HEALthier life project . Cardiorespiratory fitness , muscular strength and speed agility were assessed using valid and reliable tests ( ALPHA-fitness test battery ) . Shape of the subcortical brain structures was assessed by MRI , and its relationship with fitness was examined after controlling for a set of potential confounders using a partial correlation permutation approach . Our results showed that all physical fitness components studied were significantly related to the shapes of subcortical brain nuclei . These associations were both positive and negative , indicating that a higher level of fitness in childhood is related to both expansions and contractions in certain regions of the accumbens , amygdala , cau date , hippocampus , pallidum , putamen and thalamus . Cardiorespiratory fitness was mainly associated with expansions , whereas h and grip was mostly associated with contractions in the structures studied . Future r and omised-controlled trials will confirm or contrast our findings , demonstrating whether changes in fitness modify the shapes of brain structures and the extent to which those changes influence cognitive function Background Epidemiological evidence suggests that decrease in sedentary behaviour is beneficial for health . This family based r and omized controlled trial examines whether face-to-face delivered counselling is effective in reducing sedentary time and improving health in adults and increasing moderate-to-vigorous activities in children . Methods The families are r and omized after balancing socioeconomic and environmental factors in the Jyväskylä region , Finl and . Inclusion criteria are : healthy men and women with children 3 - 8 years old , and having an occupation where they self-reportedly sit more than 50 % of their work time and children in all-day day-care in kindergarten or in the first grade in primary school . Exclusion criteria are : body mass index > 35 kg/m2 , self-reported chronic , long-term diseases , families with pregnant mother at baseline and children with disorders delaying motor development . From both adults and children  accelerometer data is collected five times a year in one week periods . In addition , fasting blood sample s for whole blood count and serum metabonomics , and diurnal heart rate variability for 3 days are assessed at baseline , 3 , 6 , 9 , and 12 months follow-up from adults . Quadriceps and hamstring muscle activities providing detailed information on muscle inactivity will be used to realize the maximum potential effect of the intervention . Fundamental motor skills from children and body composition from adults will be measured at baseline , and at 6 and 12 months follow-up . Question naires of family-influence-model , health and physical activity , and dietary records are assessed . After the baseline measurements the intervention group will receive tailored counselling targeted to decrease sitting time by focusing on commute and work time .  The counselling regarding leisure time is especially targeted to encourage toward family physical activities such as visiting playgrounds and non-built environments , where children can get diversified stimulation for play and practice fundamental of motor skills . The counselling will be reinforced during the first 6 months followed by a 6-month maintenance period . Discussion If shown to be effective , this unique family based intervention to improve lifestyle behaviours in both adults and children can provide translational model for community use . This study can also provide knowledge whether the lifestyle changes are transformed into relevant biomarkers and self-reported health . Trial registration numberIS RCT N : IS RCT
The systematic review revealed overall positive effects of outdoor time  on physical activity , sedentary behaviour , and cardiorespiratory fitness , although causality could not be assumed due to a lack of RCTs .
Motor skill development was unrelated to outdoor time ; however , this relationship was only examined in a single study of preschool children .
No studies were found that examined associations between outdoor time and musculoskeletal fitness
The objective of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between outdoor time and : ( 1 ) physical activity , ( 2 ) cardiorespiratory fitness , ( 3 ) musculoskeletal fitness , ( 4 ) sedentary behaviour ; or ( 5 ) motor skill development in children aged 3 - 12 years .