There was some evidence that school-based physical activity interventions had a positive impact on four of the nine outcome measures .
Specifically positive effects were observed for duration of physical activity , television viewing , VO2 max , and blood cholesterol .
Generally , school-based interventions had little effect on physical activity rates , systolic and diastolic blood pressure , BMI , and pulse rate .
At a minimum , a combination of printed educational material s and changes to the school curriculum that promote physical activity result ed in positive effects .
Few changes in outcomes were observed in this up date with the exception of blood cholesterol and physical activity rates .
For example blood cholesterol was no longer positively impacted upon by school-based physical activity interventions .
The evidence suggests the ongoing implementation of school-based physical activity interventions at this time , given the positive effects on behavior and one physical health status measure .
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimates that 1.9 million deaths worldwide are attributable to physical inactivity and at least 2.6 million deaths are a result of being overweight or obese .
In addition , WHO estimates that physical inactivity causes 10 % to 16 % of cases each of breast cancer , colon , and rectal cancers as well as type 2 diabetes , and 22 % of coronary heart disease and the burden of these and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased in recent decades .
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents .
Recruitment and retention strategies and methods in the HEALTHY study
HEALTHY was a 3-year middle school-based primary prevention trial to reduce modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes in youth . The study was conducted at seven centers across the country . This paper describes the recruitment and retention activities employed in the study . Schools and students were the focus of recruitment and retention . Each center was responsible for the recruitment of six schools ; eligibility was based on ability to enroll a sufficient number of predominately minority and lower socioeconomic status students . Study staff met with district superintendents and school principals to verify the eligibility of schools , and to ascertain how appropriate the school would be for conducting the trial . Sixth grade students were recruited employing a variety of techniques ; students and their parents did not know whether their school was r and omized to the intervention or control arm . This cohort was followed through sixth , seventh and eighth grade s. In the eighth grade , an additional sample of students who were not originally enrolled in the study was recruited in a similar manner to participate in data collection to allow for cross-sectional and dose-response secondary analyses . Parents signed informed consent forms and children signed informed assent forms , as per the needs of the local Institutional Review Board . Parents received a letter describing the results of the health screening for their children after data collection in sixth and eighth grade s. Retention of schools and students was critical for the success of the study and was encouraged through the use of financial incentives and other strategies . To a large extent , student withdrawal due to out-migration ( transfer and geographical relocation ) was beyond the ability of the study to control . A multi-level approach that proactively addressed school and parent concerns was crucial for the success of recruitment and retention in the HEALTHY study
There was some evidence that school-based physical activity interventions had a positive impact on four of the nine outcome measures .
Specifically positive effects were observed for duration of physical activity , television viewing , VO2 max , and blood cholesterol .
Generally , school-based interventions had little effect on physical activity rates , systolic and diastolic blood pressure , BMI , and pulse rate .
At a minimum , a combination of printed educational material s and changes to the school curriculum that promote physical activity result ed in positive effects .
Few changes in outcomes were observed in this up date with the exception of blood cholesterol and physical activity rates .
For example blood cholesterol was no longer positively impacted upon by school-based physical activity interventions .
The evidence suggests the ongoing implementation of school-based physical activity interventions at this time , given the positive effects on behavior and one physical health status measure .
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimates that 1.9 million deaths worldwide are attributable to physical inactivity and at least 2.6 million deaths are a result of being overweight or obese .
In addition , WHO estimates that physical inactivity causes 10 % to 16 % of cases each of breast cancer , colon , and rectal cancers as well as type 2 diabetes , and 22 % of coronary heart disease and the burden of these and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased in recent decades .
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents .