Understanding the Impact of School-Based Physical Activity Programs

Summary

The central hypothesis of the Fueling Learning Through Exercise (FLEX) study is two innovative school-based physical activity programs (a walking/running program and a classroom activity break program) will increase school-time and total daily minutes children engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, relative to controls, and that children who attend schools with these PA programs will demonstrate improved cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and attendance, relative to controls.

Conditions

• Physical Activity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Walking/Running program

Participants will receive a behavioral intervention that consists of a school-based, walking/running/jogging program. Participants work to accumulate miles towards a goal of at least 100 miles, over the course of the school year. Program will be implemented through a "champion" in the school and structured/scheduled according to the schools resources (before, during, or after school). Miles are tracked at the school level, and incentives are provided for participants' completion of set milestones (25, 50, 75, and 100 miles). The intervention will run over two school years (approximately 16 months)

BEHAVIORAL

Classroom physical activity break program

Participants will receive a behavioral intervention that consists of a classroom-based, physical activity break program. Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff will lead short (5-15 minute) activity breaks that include both higher intensity (ex. jumping jacks, squats) and low-intensity (ex. stretching, yoga) activities. Classrooms will be encouraged to integrate at least one short break per day. Activities are connected to national Common Core academic standards so that breaks can be integrated with academics. The intervention will run over two school years (approximately 16 months)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

  collaborator NIH

• University of California, San Diego

  collaborator OTHER

• Tufts University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jennifer M Sacheck, PhD · Tufts University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

7 Years

Max Age

11 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-09-30

Primary Completion

2017-06-23

Completion

2017-07-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations