Web-based Physical Activity Intervention for Children
Condition: Physical Activity in Children
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to conduct a two-arm randomized controlled trial and evaluate
      the feasibility, acceptability, and effects on the physical and psychosocial outcomes of
      children in response to a web-based physical activity intervention. 80 participants aged 8-11
      will be enrolled in the Madison, WI area and can expect to be on study for up to 12 weeks.
    

Detailed description: 
      The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated the broadening of the landscape of the physical
      activity (PA) programs offered to children. This has been due to the fact that, traditional
      school-based PA offerings and other organized sport programs were on a nearly a year long
      hiatus. In the absence of structured PA, web-based PA programs for children garnered approval
      from families because of the safety and convenience offered. It is anticipated that the
      web-based exercise programs will remain appealing even after the pandemic is over, and may
      coexist with the in-person PA offerings. These programs will likely persist due to the
      convenience offered, the increasing penetration of 'smart' screen-based devices, and
      increasing usage of internet in American homes. The examples of web-based PA programs for
      children include, educational websites based on behavior change theories, mobile-app based PA
      programs, and web-based exercise videos. Of these, the latest to enter the web-based PA space
      and the most under-researched are the exercise videos based programs. Web-based, exercise
      videos feature a 'follow-after-me' format encouraging children to enact the movements shown.
      Examples of a few popular programs offering such videos are UNICEF Kid Power, GoNoodle, and
      CosmicKids Yoga.

      There have been no formal evaluations of web-based, exercise video programs for children so
      far. Moreover, there have been very few evaluations of other types of web-based PA
      interventions. Even fewer evaluations have addressed the impact of such programs on
      children's quality of life and psychosocial health. Investigators will fill this research gap
      by conducting a pilot trial examining the feasibility of the previously untested, exercise
      video based, UNICEF Kid Power intervention. Study team will also determine the effects of the
      program on physical and psychosocial health outcomes. Doing so will help investigators to
      compute the sample size of the future full-scale trial, and to optimize it based on the
      learnings from the pilot trial.

      Specific Aims

      Aim 1 (Primary aim): To examine the feasibility of the processes involved in implementing the
      UNICEF Kid Power intervention by measuring recruitment, retention, and intervention adherence
      rates.

      Aim 2: To examine the safety, acceptability, and satisfaction with the intervention using
      qualitative measures.

      Aim 3: To determine effect sizes for outcomes of physical activity, physical function,
      psychosocial health, and self-concept to facilitate estimation of sample size for a future
      full-scale randomized clinical trial.
    

Intervention name(s): UNICEF kid power program immediately; UNICEF kid power program for waitlist control; ActiGraph Accelerometer
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Device
Intervention description(s): The intervention will be delivered via the UNICEF Kid Power website (https://www.unicefkidpower.org/) and any screened device such as a computer, smartphone, smart TV or an electronic tablet can be used to watch the videos and perform the assigned physical activity.
Participants will self-select activities 5 days a week. The participants will have the choice to undertake the physical activity in bouts and accumulate it over the course of the day.
To promote adherence to intervention, a weekly email with reminder to perform the physical activity will be sent to parents. In addition, research-based articles on the importance of physical activity and behavior change in children will also be emailed.; The wait-list control group will perform physical activity as usual and will only receive a weekly email on the importance of healthy dietary habits in children. The intervention will last 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the wait-list control group will be offered the UNICEF Kid Power intervention for a duration of 12-weeks; The participants will be mailed accelerometers and instructed to wear for 7 consecutive days during their waking hours, prior to the start of intervention. The mail containing the accelerometer will accompany pictorial instructions, explaining in detail the correct way of wearing it.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Web based physical activity tools; Children