Preschoolers Activity Trial

Summary

The purpose of this pilot study is to test the efficacy of the physical activity (PA) intervention protocol to increase preschoolers overall PA levels and time spent in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at the day care setting. The PA intervention includes the Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers manual, a compilation of locomotor, gross motor and movement based activities developed for preschoolers and successfully piloted for feasibility in 3 to 5 year old preschoolers by Drs. Viviene Temple, Justen O'Connor, and Patti-Jean Naylor. As well, the PA intervention includes educational workshops for the day care providers, ongoing biweekly facilitation and troubleshooting sessions with a Master Trainer, and the equipment necessary to implement the program. The study is also evaluating the efficacy of the PA intervention to decrease the amount of time spent in sedentary behaviour at the day care setting.

Secondary objectives include evaluating the effects of the PA intervention on preschool children's anthropometrics, and fundamental and gross motor skills. In addition, the intervention is also assessing the effects of the program on day care provider's attitudes, control beliefs, and self-efficacy toward incorporating PA into the day care curriculum.

Conditions

• Obesity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Physical Activity Intervention

The intervention consists of 2, 3-hour workshops conducted by a master trainer with experience in promoting PA in preschoolers. The workshops focus on the importance of PA and movement skills for preschool-aged children, understanding structured and unstructured play, practical activities related to movement skills, how to overcome barriers in facilitating PA, and using everyday materials to facilitate PA and active play. Each provider in the intervention group is given the Healthy Opportunities for Preschoolers resource training manual, suggested implementation, and a starter kit of equipment. Master Trainers facilitated biweekly PA sessions throughout the intervention. The intervention is based on NASPE (2002) guidelines of not having children sedentary more than 60 mins at a time, having children accumulate 60 mins in structured and unstructured PA (active play) each day at MVPA, as well as 180 mins of total PA as recommended by the Canadian PA Guidelines for preschoolers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Victoria

  collaborator OTHER

• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

  collaborator OTHER

• Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Gary S Goldfield, PhD · HALO, CHEO RI

• Kristi B Adamo, PhD · HALO, CHEO RI

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

3 Years

Max Age

5 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-02-28

Primary Completion

2012-08-31

Completion

2012-12-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations