Bibliography
Bibliography — Physical Activity
This section contains articles that address
factors associated with health behavior and health status
and school-based strategies to improve physical activity
and fitness among children and adolescents.
Research
Barriers to and Facilitators of Walking and Bicycling to School: Formative Results From the Non-Motorized Travel Study
Kathryn N. Ahlport, Laura Linnan, Amber Vaughn, Kelly R. Evenson, and Dianne S. Ward
Health Education & Behavior, Apr 2008; vol. 35: 221 - 244.
Barriers to and facilitators of walking and bicycling to school were explored through 12 focus groups
made up of fourth- and fifth-grade students and their parents who lived near their respective schools. The barriers and facilitators reported by parents and children generally fell into one of three categories: intrapersonal and interpersonal characteristics of parents and children, environmental characteristics of the neighborhood, and environmental and policy characteristics of the school. Findings indicate that a supportive environment is a necessary but insufficient condition to increase walking and biking to school. Initiatives to increase active school travel may need to include multiple levels of intervention to be effective.
Opportunities for Student Physical Activity in Elementary Schools: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Frequency and Correlates
Tracie A. Barnett, Jennifer O'Loughlin, Lise Gauvin, Gilles Paradis, and Jim Hanley
Health Education & Behavior, Apr 2006; vol. 33: 215 – 232.
The objectives of this study were to describe opportunities for student physical activity (PA) in elementary schools and to identify factors in the school environment associated with higher PA opportunity. Self-report questionnaires were completed by school principals and physical education teachers in 277 schools (88% response) in metropolitan Montreal. Correlates of opportunity were identified using ordinal logistic regression. There was substantial variation in PA opportunities between schools. Higher opportunity was associated with role modeling of PA by school principals, their interest in increasing PA through links to the municipality, adequate financial and human resources, access to school sports facilities, adequate space for storing student sports equipment, and suburban location. There is both the need and the potential for intervention to increase PA opportunities in elementary schools. Addressing barriers related to resources and access to sports facilities may help reduce disparities between schools in opportunities for students to engage in PA.
Healthy Youth Places: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness of Facilitating Adult and Youth Leaders to Promote Physical Activity and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Middle Schools
David A. Dzewaltowski, Paul A. Estabrooks, Greg Welk, Jennie Hill, George Milliken, Kostas Karteroliotis, and Judy A. Johnston
Health Education & Behavior, May 2008; vol. 0: 1090198108314619v1.
The Healthy Youth Places (HYP) intervention targeted increased fruit and vegetable consumption (FV) and physical activity (PA) through building the environmental change skills and efficacy of adults and youth. HYP included group training for adult school site leaders, environmental change skill curriculum, and youth-led FV and PA environment change teams. Sixteen schools were randomized to either implement the HYP program or not. Participants (N =1,582) were assessed on FV and PA and hypothesized HYP program mediators (e.g., proxy efficacy) at the end of sixth grade (baseline), seventh grade (Postintervention Year 1), and eighth grade (Postintervention Year 2). After intervention, HYP schools did not change in FV but did significantly change in PA compared to control schools. Proxy efficacy to influence school PA environments mediated the program
Formative Research in School and Community-Based Health Programs and Studies: “State of the Art” and the TAAG Approach
Joel Gittelsohn, Allan Steckler, Carolyn Johnson, Charlotte Pratt, Mira Grieser, Julie Pickrel, Elaine Stone, Terry Conway, Derek Coombs, and Lisa K. Staten
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-15.
Formative research uses qualitative and quantitative methods to provide information for researchers to plan intervention programs. Gaps in the formative research literature include how to define goals, implementation plans, and research questions; select methods; analyze data; and develop interventions. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute funded the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG), a randomized, multi-center field trial, to reduce the decline in physical activity in adolescent girls. The goals of the TAAG formative research are to (a) describe study communities and schools, (b) help design the trial’s interventions, (c) develop effective recruitment and retention strategies, and (d) design evaluation instruments. To meet these goals, a variety of methods, including telephone interviews, surveys and checklists, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, are employed. The purpose, method of development, and analyses are explained for each method.
Physical Activity Attitudes, Preferences, and Practices in African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian Girls
Mira Grieser, Maihan B. Vu, Ariane L. Bedimo-Rung, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Jamie Moody, Deborah Rohm Young, and Stacey G. Moe
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-12.
Physical activity levels in girls decline dramatically during adolescence, most profoundly among minorities. To explore ethnic and racial variation in attitudes toward physical activity, semi-structured interviews (n = 80) and physical activity checklists (n = 130) are conducted with African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian middle school girls in six locations across the United States. Girls from all groups have similar perceptions of the benefits of physical activity, with staying in shape as the most important. Girls have similar negative perceptions of physical activity, including getting hurt, sweating, aggressive players, and embarrassment. Chores, running or jogging, exercises, and dance are common activities for girls regardless of ethnicity. Basketball, swimming, running, and dance are commonly cited favorite activities, although there are slight differences between ethnic groups. The results suggest that factors other than ethnicity contribute to girls’ physical activity preferences and that distinct interventions may not be needed for each ethnic group.
Coaching Process Outcomes of a Family Visit Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention
Jerianne Heimendinger, Terry Uyeki, Aurielle Andhara, Julie A. Marshall, Sharon Scarbro, Elaine Belansky, and Lori Crane
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2007; vol. 34: 71 - 89.
The purpose of this article is to report the process outcomes of a coaching methodology used in a study designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity in families. Eighty-eight families with second graders were recruited from a rural, biethnic community in Colorado and randomized to intervention and delayed intervention conditions. This article reports on the 27 families in the delayed intervention group. Families received up to 10 home visits over 10 months from a family advisor and completed activities to improve their dietary and physical activity behaviors. Coaching conversations took place during each home visit. Coaching process outcomes were evaluated by analysis of visit documentation, participant survey, and qualitative interviews. Results indicated that coaching, in conjunction with family activities, engaged families in the process of change and facilitated movement toward the achievement of their weekly nutrition or physical activity goals. Coaching methodology may be particularly useful for participatory research.
Using a Naturalistic Ecological Approach to Examine the Factors Influencing Youth Physical Activity Across Grades 7 to 12
M. Louise Humbert, Karen E. Chad, Mark W. Bruner, Kevin S. Spink, Nazeem Muhajarine, Kristal D. Anderson, Tammy M. Girolami, Patrick Odnokon, and Catherine R. Gryba
Health Education & Behavior, Apr 2008; vol. 35: 158 - 173.
High levels of inactivity in youth have led researchers and practitioners to focus on identifying the factors that influence physical activity behaviors in young people. The present study employed a qualitative ecological framework to examine the intrapersonal, social, and environmental factors influencing youth physical activity. In grade specific focus group settings, 160 youth in grades 7 through 12 (aged 12 to 18) were asked how they would increase the physical activity levels of youth their age. Participants identified eight factors that they felt should be addressed in programs and interventions designed to increase the physical activity behaviors of youth. These factors included the importance of fun, having the time to be physically active, the benefits of activity, being active with friends, the role of adults, and the importance of being able to access facilities in their neighborhood.
Developing School-Based BMI Screening and Parent Notification Programs: Findings From Focus Groups With Parents of Elementary School Students
Martha Young Kubik, Mary Story, and Gayle Rieland
Health Education & Behavior, 2007; vol. 34, (4): 622-633.
School-based body mass index (BMI) screening and parent notification programs have been advanced as an obesity prevention strategy. However, little is known about how to develop and implement programs. This qualitative study explored the opinions and beliefs of parents of elementary school students concerning school-based BMI screening programs, notification methods, message content, and health information needs related to promoting healthy weight for school-aged children. Ten focus groups were conducted with 71 participants. Parents were generally supportive of school-based BMI screening. However, they wanted assurance that student privacy and respect would be maintained during measurement and that BMI results would be provided to parents in a neutral manner that avoided weight labeling. They also believed that aggregate results should be disseminated to the larger school community to support healthy change in the nutrition and physical activity environments of schools. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.
Influence of Social Context on Eating, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behaviors of Latina Mothers and Their Preschool-Age Children
Ana C. Lindsay, Katarina M. Sussner, Mary L. Greaney, and Karen E. Peterson
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2009; vol. 36: 81 - 96.
As more U.S. children grow up in Latino families, understanding how social class, culture, and environment influence feeding practices is key to preventing obesity. The authors conducted six focus groups and 20 in-depth interviews among immigrant, low-income Latina mothers in the Northeast United States and classified 17 emergent themes from content analysis according to ecologic frameworks for behavior change. Respondents related environmental influences to child feeding, diet, and activity, namely, supermarket proximity, food cost, access to recreational facilities, neighborhood safety, and weather. Television watching was seen as integral to family life, including watching during meals and using TV as babysitter and tool to learn English. Participation in the WIC program helped families address food insecurity, and child care provided healthy eating and physical activity opportunities. Health promotion efforts addressing obesity trends in Latino children must account for organizational and environmental influences on the day-to-day social context of young immigrant families.
Using School-Level Interviews to Develop a Multisite PE Intervention Program
Stacey G. Moe, Julie Pickrel, Thomas L. McKenzie, Patricia K. Strikmiller, Derek Coombs, and Dale Murrie
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-14.
The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) is a randomized, multi-center field trial in middle schools that aims to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls. To inform the development of the TAAG intervention, two phases of formative research are conducted to gain information on school structure and environment and on the conduct of physical education classes. Principals and designated staff at 64 eligible middle schools are interviewed using the School Survey during Phase 1. The following year (Phase 2), physical education department heads of the 36 schools selected into TAAG are interviewed. Responses are examined to design a standardized, multi-component physical activity intervention for six regions of the United States. This article describes the contribution of formative research to the development of the physical education intervention component and summarizes the alignment of current school policies and practices with national and state standards.
Effect of a Ban on Extracurricular Sports Activities by Secondary School Teachers on Physical Activity Levels of Adolescents: A Multilevel Analysis
Roman Pabayo, Jennifer O'Loughlin, Lise Gauvin, Gilles Paradis, and Katherine Gray-Donald
Health Education & Behavior, Oct 2006; vol. 33: 690 - 702.
To study the effect of a teachers’ ban on supervising sports-related extracurricular physical activities
(ECAs), levels of physical activity among 979 grade 7 students (mean age = 12.7 [0.5] years at baseline) were compared during and after the ban in seven schools that fully implemented the ban, and three schools that did not implement the ban fully. On average, schools offered 18.0 (SD = 5.1) ECAs during a no-ban school year. Students attending full implementation schools were significantly more likely than students in nonimplementation schools to be active after the ban ended (odds ratio for being active = 1.89 [95% confidence interval: 1.39, 2.58]). They also increased the number of physical activities in which they participated (coefficient = 4.04; SE = 1.01). Ending a teachers’ ban on sports-related ECAs was associated with increased involvement in physical activity among secondary school students.
A Validation and Reliability Study of the Physical Activity and Healthy Food Efficacy Scale for Children (PAHFE)
Christina M. Perry, R.J. De Ayala, Ryan Lebow, and Emily Hayden
Health Education & Behavior, Jun 2008; vol. 35: 346 - 360.
The purpose of this study was to obtain validity evidence for the Physical Activity and Healthy Food Efficacy Scale for Children (PAHFE). Construct validity evidence identifies four subscales: Goal-Setting for Physical Activity, Goal-Setting for Healthy Food Choices, Decision-Making for Physical Activity, and Decision-Making for Healthy Food Choices. The scores on each of these subscales show a moderate to high degree of internal consistency (0.59 < <0.87). The Decision-Making for Healthy Food Choice subscale and the Decision-Making for Physical Activity subscale scores show significant convergent validity evidence. These results provide support for using this self-efficacy scale to measure children’s perceived confidence to make decisions about healthy eating and physical activity. The PAHFE may be considered to be a useful predictor of both physical activity and eating behaviors.
Data to Action: Using Formative Research to Develop Intervention Programs to Increase Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls
Deborah Rohm Young, Carolyn C. Johnson, Allan Steckler, Joel Gittelsohn, Ruth P. Saunders, Brit I. Saksvig, Kurt M. Ribisl, Leslie A. Lytle, and Thomas L. McKenzie
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; vol. 33: 97 - 111.
Formative research is used to inform intervention development, but the processes of transmitting results to intervention planners and incorporating information into intervention designs are not well documented. The authors describe how formative research results from the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) were transferred to planners to guide intervention development. Methods included providing oral and written reports, prioritizing recommendations, and cross-checking recommendations with intervention objectives and implementation strategies. Formative work influenced the intervention in many ways. For example, results indicated that middle schools offered only coeducational physical education and health education classes, so the TAAG intervention was designed to be appropriate for both sexes, and intervention strategies were developed to directly address girls’ stated preferences (e.g., enjoyable activities, opportunity to socialize) and barriers (e.g., lack of skills, fear of injury) for physical activity. The challenges of using formative research for intervention development are discussed.
Comparing the Relationships between Different Types of Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity in Youth
Gregory J. Ryan and David A. Dzewaltowski
Health Education & Behavior, Aug 2002; vol. 29: 491 - 504.
A preliminary study was conducted to compare the relationships between different types of self-efficacy and youth physical activity. Two samples of sixth and seventh-grade students (Sample 1: N= 57; Sample 2: N= 49) reported their confidence to be physically active (physical activity efficacy), to overcome barriers to physical activity (barriers efficacy), to ask others to be active with them (asking efficacy), and to find and create environments that support physical activity (environmental-change efficacy). Physical activity was measured by averaging three 24-hour recalls of physical activity. Regression analyses were used to test the relationships between the types of self-efficacy and youth physical activity. Compared with the other types of self-efficacy, environmental-change efficacy had the strongest relationship with youth physical activity. This suggests that strengthening young persons’ belief in their ability to find and create environments that support physical activity might promote increases in their physical activity.
Community Agency Survey Formative Research Results From the TAAG Study
Ruth P. Saunders and Jamie Moody
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-13.
School and community agency collaboration can potentially increase physical activity opportunities for youth. Few studies have examined the role of community agencies in promoting physical activity, much less in collaboration with schools. This article describes formative research data collection from community agencies to inform the development of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) intervention to provide out-of school physical activity programs for girls. The community agency survey is designed to assess agency capacity to provide physical activity programs for girls, including resources, programs, and partnerships. Most agency respondents (n = 138) report operations’ after-school hours, adequate facilities, and program options for girls, although most are sport oriented. Agency resources and programming vary considerably across the six TAAG field sites. Many agencies report partnerships, some involving schools, although not necessarily related to physical activity. Implications for the TAAG intervention are presented.
A Typology of Middle School Girls: Audience Segmentation Related to Physical Activity
Lisa K. Staten, Amanda S. Birnbaum, Jared B. Jobe, John P. Elder,
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-15.
The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) combines social ecological and social marketing approaches to promote girls’ participation in physical activity programs implemented at 18 middle schools throughout the United States. Key to the TAAG approach is targeting materials to a variety of audience segments. TAAG segments are individuals who share one or more common characteristic that is expected to correlate with physical activity. Thirteen focus groups with seventh and eighth grade girls are conducted to identify and characterize segments. Potential messages and channels of communication are discussed for each segment. Based on participant responses, six primary segments are identified: athletic, preppy, quiet, rebel, smart, and tough. The focus group information is used to develop targeted promotional tools to appeal to a diversity of girls. Using audience segmentation for targeting persuasive communication is potentially useful for intervention programs but may be sensitive; therefore, ethical issues must be critically examined.
Listening to Girls and Boys Talk About Girls’ Physical Activity Behaviors
Maihan B. Vu, Dale Murrie, Vivian Gonzalez, and Jared B. Jobe
Health Education & Behavior, Feb 2006; Vol. 33 (1): 1-16.
As part of the formative assessment for the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG), a multi-center study to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls, girls and boys with diverse ethnicity from six states participate in focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Data from 13 girls’ focus groups (N = 100), 11 boys’ focus groups (N = 77), and 80 semi-structured interviews with girls are examined to identify perceptions of girls’ physical activity behaviors to help develop TAAG interventions. Both girls and boys talk about physically active girls as being “tomboys” or “too aggressive.” Girls are more likely to characterize active girls as “in shape,” whereas boys say they are “too athletic.” Girls report boys to be influential barriers and motivators in shaping their beliefs about physical activity. Given the strong influence of peers, developing successful interventions for girls should include verbal persuasion, modeling, and social support from both girls and boys.
Practice
This section contains articles addressing the effectiveness and practical application of child and adolescent school health physical activity programs and policies.
Physical Activity Promotion Among Underserved Adolescents: "Make It Fun, Easy, and Popular"
Paula Louise Bush, Suzanne Laberge, and Sophie Laforest
Health Promotion Practice, Jan 2009; vol. 0: 1524839908329117v1.
There is a paucity of studies regarding noncurricular physical activity promotion interventions among adolescents,,and even less such research pertaining to underserved youth. This article describes the developmentand implementation of a noncurricular, schoolbased physical activity promotion program designed for a multiethnic, underserved population of adolescents. The program’s impact on leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and on physical activity enjoyment (PAE) is also presented. The 16-week program, named FunAction, utilizes social marketing principles. Control (n = 90) and intervention (n = 131) students are assessed pre- and postintervention for levels of LTPA and PAE. Results indicate that although the program did not contribute to an increase in LTPA or PAE among intervention group students, participation in the program was elevated. This study offers preliminary evidence that noncurricular physical activity promotion programs that apply social marketing principles can be effective in engaging multiethnic, underserved adolescents in physical activity.
Promoting Children's Health Through Physically Active Math Classes: A Pilot Study
Heather E. Erwin, Mark G. Abel, Aaron Beighle, and Michael W. Beets
Health Promotion Practice, Mar 2009; vol. 0: 1524839909331911v1.
School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students. Participants include four teachers and 75 students. Five math classes are taught without PA integration (i.e., baseline) followed by 13 math classes that integrate PA. Students wear pedometers and accelerometers to track PA during math class and throughout the school day. Students perform significantly more PA on school days and in math classes during the intervention. In addition, students perform higher intensity (step min–1) PA during PA integration math classes compared with baseline math classes. Integrating PA into the classroom is an effective alternative approach to improving PA levels among youth and is an important component of school-based wellness policies.
Health Education and Physical Education Are Core Academic Subjects
Stephen F. Gambescia
Health Promotion Practice 2006; 7; 1524839906291321
Implementation of the federally mandated No Child Left Behind (NCLB) student, teacher, and school academic achievement initiative has been overwhelming for all those who play a key role in the education of our elementary and secondary school students. So it may seem challenging for us to propose for the next reauthorization of this Act something additional that we really need to do, if we expect students to be ready to learn. The NCLB Act should include health education and physical education as core subject areas that require a highly qualified teacher.
Health Policy and Exercise: A Brief BRFSS Study and Recommendations
James S. Larson and Mylon Winn
Health Promotion Practice, May 2008; vol. 0: 1524839908318287v1.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey is used to compare three predictors of self-rated health, specifically exercise, tobacco smoking, and a diagnosis of diabetes (a proxy for obesity). Exercise is found to be the best predictor, and the remainder of the article discusses the role of exercise in disease prevention and the all-important concept of exercise adherence. Government policy in the future needs to promote exercise adherence in a more rigorous way, because it is a key to both individual and societal health. Exercise habits need to be instilled from youth, and physical education requirements in school need to be re-established at all levels through high school. Adults also need encouragement with better neighborhood planning of exercise trails for walking and biking, as well as planned community activities to encourage fitness through one’s lifetime. The article concludes with six recommendations for formal government action to encourage exercise adherence.
Integrating Research, Policy, and Practice in School-Based Physical Activity Prevention Programming: The School Health Action, Planning, and Evaluation System (SHAPES) Physical Activity Module
Scott T. Leatherdale, Steve Manske, Suzy L. Wong, and Roy Cameron
Health Promotion Practice, Apr 2009; vol. 10: 254 - 261.
The School Health Action, Planning, and Evaluation System (SHAPES) is a data collection and feedback system designed to support population-based intervention planning, evaluation, and field research related to youth. The Physical Activity Module of SHAPES consists of: (a) a machine readable questionnaire to collect physical activity data from all students (grades 6 to 12) in a school, (b) a school administrator questionnaire to assess school policies, programs, and resources related to physical activity, and (c) a school-specific feedback report documenting student behavior and school programs and policies. This SHAPES module provides schools with feedback that enables them to take stock of patterns of activity and obesity within their school, recognize what is (and what is not) in place to support physical activity, and how to plan and evaluate their own prevention efforts. SHAPES enables researchers and stakeholders to identify what interventions work, in what contexts, with what students.
Physical Activity Among Minority Populations: What Health Promotion Practitioners Should Know—A Commentary
Sarah M. Lee
Health Promotion Practice, Oct 2005; Vol. 6 (4): 447-452.
Leisure time and moderate-level physical activity participation in the United States is low among the majority of the population. Minority populations are especially inactive and report having fewer opportunities and access to be physically active. Physical activity programs utilizing a strong health promotion framework (including needs assessment, program plan and design, program implementation, and evaluation) are limited, particularly among minority populations. The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of physical activity, briefly review and describe current literature, identify the need for physical activity programs among minority populations, and relate the concepts of a health promotion framework to physical activity programs that are usable among practitioners. The article also provides health promotion practitioners with various resources for improving physical activity programs.
Application of a Walking Suitability Assessment to the Immediate Built Environment Surrounding Elementary Schools
Sarah M. Lee, Catrine Tudor-Locke, and Elizabeth K. Burns
Health Promotion Practice, Jul 2008; vol. 9: 246 - 252.
This study examines the usefulness of applying a walking suitability assessment to a specific geographic area surrounding elementary schools. Streets within a 0.25-mile radius were measured to create a summary walking suitability score for seven schools from high-busing strata and seven from low-busing strata. Summary walking suitability scores were calculated for each school. A Mann—Whitney U test was conducted to determine any differences in scores between the high- and low-busing schools. The median walking suitability score was 3.7 (a good rating); the 25th percentile score was 2.9 (very good), and the 75th was 22.3 (poor). No statistical differences existed between busing strata. Walking suitability is an important consideration when examining the feasibility of walk-to-school programs within school settings; however, it might not be the main factor limiting children's active commuting to school. Several aspects of the environment were captured that researchers, practitioners, school personnel, and transportation experts may deem useful.
Implementing Safe Routes to School: Application for the Socioecological Model and Issues to Consider
Sarah Levin Martin, Refilwe Moeti, and Nancy Pullen-Seufert
Health Promotion Practice, Apr 2008; vol. 0: 1524839907309378v1.
The newly established national Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program has the potential to positively influence individuals, communities, and the environment regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Many communities are applying their interest in physical activity promotion toward creating policies and programs to encourage active travel, though many barriers exist. SRTS legislation provides funds to address some of the barriers and improve the ability of students to safely walk and bicycle to school. SRTS requires that 70% to 90% of the funds be used for infrastructure projects (i.e., engineering treatments, such as sidewalk construction), and 10% to 30% for noninfrastructure activities, such as education, encouragement, and enforcement. The socioecological model (SEM) is widely used in public health and includes five levels of influence on behavior, from individual to public policy. Application of the SEM to SRTS provides a framework for a comprehensive approach to improve active travel to school.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Statewide Media Campaign to Promote Adolescent Physical Activity
Michael Peterson, Margaret Chandlee, and Avron Abraham
Health Promotion Practice, Oct 2008; vol. 9: 426 - 433.
A cost-effectiveness analysis of a statewide social marketing campaign was performed using a statewide surveillance survey distributed to 6th through 12th graders, media production and placement costs, and 2000 census data. Exposure to all three advertisements had the highest impact on both intent and behavior with 65.6% of the respondents considering becoming more active and 58.3% reporting becoming more active. Average cost of the entire campaign was $4.01 per person to see an ad, $7.35 per person to consider being more active, and $8.87 per person to actually become more active, with billboards yielding the most positive cost-effectiveness. Findings highlight market research as an essential part of social marketing campaigns and the importance of using multiple marketing modalities to enhance cost-effectiveness and impact.
Using an Analytic Framework to Identify Potential Targets and Strategies for Ecologically Based Physical Activity Interventions in Middle Schools
Jennifer Robertson-Wilson, Lucie Lévesque, and Lucie Richard
Health Promotion Practice, May 2007;
The objective was to demonstrate the value of applying an ecological analytic framework to formative data in conjunction with ecological planning frameworks (e.g., intervention mapping) to ensure a high degree of ecological program integration as illustrated through a physical activity program for students in middle school. Eight focus groups were conducted with 38 students in four schools to examine student perceptions of who or what in their school made it easy or difficult for students to be physically active. Qualitative data were used to identify potential intervention targets according to the analytic framework. Frequency analysis revealed that most identified physical activity barriers/facilitators were associated with organization (59.4%) targets. Five different intervention strategies were identified, with organizational modification being most popular. Applying the analytic framework to formative data enabled us to identify potential targets, strategies, and activities for an ecologically based physical-activity-promotion program relevant to the priority population.
Be a Fit Kid: Nutrition and Physical Activity for the Fourth Grade
Jennifer N. Slawta and Daniel DeNeui
Health Promotion Practice, Jan 2009; vol. 0: 1524839908328992v1.
This article describes the inclusion of Be a Fit Kid in the fourth-grade curriculum. Be a Fit Kid is a fitness-emphasized physical activity and heart-healthy nutrition education program for elementary school children. Five parent–education lessons were offered and nutrition workbooks were distributed to parents. Following the 10- week intervention, significant improvements in fitness, body fat, nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and levels of lipids and lipoproteins were observed in the intervention group compared with baseline levels. Changes in fitness, body fat, and nutrition knowledge were significant compared with the control group. These findings suggest that comprehensive physical activity and nutrition programs included in the school curriculum may be effective for improving cardiovascular health and reducing future risk for lifestyle-related diseases.
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