Effects of a physical activity programme in the school setting on physical fitness in preschool children A school-based physical activity program to improve health and fitness in children aged 6–13 years ("Kinder-Sportstudie KISS"): study design of a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN15360785] Physical activity and skills intervention: SCORES cluster randomized controlled trial. Influence of a lifestyle intervention in preschool children on physiological and psychological parameters (Ballabeina): study design of a cluster randomized controlled trial A policy-driven multifaceted approach for early childhood physical fitness promotion: impacts on body composition and physical fitness in young Chinese children Improving health-related fitness in children: the fit-4-Fun randomized controlled trial study protocol Correlates of preschool children’s objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior: a cross-sectional analysis of the SPLASHY study A feasibility study with process evaluation of a preschool intervention to improve child and family lifestyle behaviours Targeting preschool children to promote cardiovascular health: cluster randomized trial. Body mass index, fitness and physical activity from childhood through adolescence Rationale and study protocol for the supporting children’s outcomes using rewards, exercise and skills (SCORES) group randomized controlled trial: A physical activity and fundamental movement skills intervention for primary schools in low-income communities Weight status, physical activity, and fitness among third-grade rural children. Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) – inspiring healthy active behaviour in preschoolers: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial Design of the Quality of Life in Motion (QLIM) study: a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a combined physical exercise and psychosocial training program to improve physical fitness in children with cancer A participatory physical activity intervention in preschools: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Improvements in fundamental movement skill competency mediate the effect of the SCORES intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children Health-related fitness in school children: compliance with physical activity recommendations and its relationship with body mass index and diet quality.
AIM The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 10-week aerobic games programme on physical fitness . METHODS One hundred eleven children , aged 3 to 6 years , participated in this study ; 60 children were male ( age : 4.28 ± 0.61 years old ) , and 51 were female ( age 4.59 ± 0.49 years old ) . Participants were r and omly assigned to an experimental group ( EG ; n = 56 ) and a control group ( CG ; n = 55 ) . A fitness test battery previously vali date d for preschoolers was used . The children in the EG performed 3 weekly training sessions of physical activity in a classroom during a 10-week period . Every EG session lasted about 30 min . RESULTS There were no significant differences in any variable in the pretest between groups . In the posttest , the EG achieved better results in horizontal jump and sprint . In relation to posttest-pretest differences , the EG showed a greater increase in horizontal jump , sprint , and endurance . CONCLUSION An aerobic games programme in the school setting improved physical fitness in preschool children Background Childhood obesity is the result of a long lasting imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure . A major contributing factor is physical inactivity which is closely linked to bone health , cardiovascular disease risk , fitness and psychological factors . The school seems to provide an excellent setting to enhance levels of  physical activity ( PA ) .  However , there is insufficient data from previous school-based intervention trials on how to enhance overall PA . It is also unknown whether an intervention aim ed at increasing PA is effective in improving the children 's health . The purpose of this paper is to outline the design of a school-based r and omized , controlled trial ( RCT ) aim ing to increase overall PA and to improve fitness and health in 6- to 13-year-old children . Methods / Design 15 schools were r and omized to the intervention ( n = 9 ) or the control ( n = 6 ) group , stratified by geographic region ( urban vs. rural ) and by age ( 1st and 5th grade ) . Participation was given for all children in the intervention group since in this group the intervention was part of the normal school curriculum . The intervention during one academic year consisted of : 1 . two additional physical education classes per week given by trained physical education teachers adding up to a total of five PA classes per week , 2 . short PA breaks ( 2–5 min each ) during academic lessons , 3 . PA home work , and 4 . adaptation of recreational areas around the school . All children underwent  anthropometric measurements , blood pressure assessment , fitness testing , measurement of PA  and they filled out question naires . At least 70 % of all children agreed to blood sampling and measurements of body composition and bone mineral measurements by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry . The primary endpoints of the study after one year were an increase in total PA by accelerometry , an increase in aerobic fitness measured by the 20 m shuttle run , a decrease in percent body fat derived from skinfold measurements and an increase in quality of life as assessed by the child health question naire in the intervention group compared to the control group . Secondary outcomes were overall fitness , differences in body composition including body fat distribution , cardiovascular risk factors , psychosocial health , bone mineral content and density of femur , lumbar spine and total body and food intake . Discussion Our preliminary data suggest that the children were representative of Swiss children with respect to sex , socio-demographic status , and body mass index . Short-term results can be expected by the beginning of 2007 . We hypothesized that our intervention will lead to an increase in PA , fitness and overall health . Based on our data , we aim to provide important information regarding the influence of such an intervention on these outcome measures in school-aged children and to provide nationwide guidelines to improve PA in children PURPOSE  Physical activity ( PA  ) declines dramatically during adolescence , and activity levels are consistently lower among children living in low-income communities . Competency in a range of fundamental movement skills ( FMS ) may serve as a protective factor against the decline in PA typically observed during adolescence . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 12-month multicomponent PA and FMS intervention on children attending primary schools in low-income communities . METHODS The Supporting Children 's Outcomes using Rewards , Exercise , and Skills intervention was evaluated using a cluster r and omized controlled trial . The sample included 25 classes from eight primary schools located in low-income communities . Participants were 460 children ( 54.1 % girls ) age 8.5 ± 0.6 yr . Primary outcomes were objective ly measured PA ( ActiGraph GT3X and GT3X+ accelerometers ) , FMS competency ( Test of Gross Motor Development 2 , six locomotor and six object control skills ) , and cardiorespiratory fitness ( 20-m multistage fitness test ) assessed at baseline , midprogram ( 6-months ) , and at posttest ( 12 months ) . Linear mixed models , adjusted for sex , age , body mass index z-score , socioeconomic status , ethnicity , and school class as a r and om factor , were used to assess the effect of the intervention . RESULTS At midprogram , there were no significant intervention effects for any of the outcomes . At posttest ( study 's primary time point ) , there were intervention effects for daily moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) ( adjusted mean difference , 12.7 min·d of MVPA ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) , 5.0 - 20.5 ) , overall FMS competency ( 4.9 units ; 95 % CI , -0.04 to 9.8 ) , and cardiorespiratory fitness ( 5.4 laps ; 95 % CI , 2.3 - 8.6 ) . CONCLUSIONS A school-based multicomponent PA and FMS intervention maintained daily MVPA , improved overall FMS competency , and increased cardiorespiratory fitness among children attending primary schools in low-income communities Background Childhood obesity and physical inactivity are increasing dramatically worldwide . Children of low socioeconomic status and /or children of migrant background are especially at risk . In general , the overall effectiveness of school-based programs on health-related outcomes has been disappointing . A special gap exists for younger children and in high risk groups . Methods / Design This paper describes the rationale , design , curriculum , and evaluation of a multicenter preschool r and omized intervention study conducted in areas with a high migrant population in two out of 26 Swiss cantons . Twenty preschool classes in the German ( canton St. Gallen ) and another 20 in the French ( canton Vaud ) part of Switzerl and were separately selected and r and omized to an intervention and a control arm by the use of opaque envelopes . The multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention aim ed to increase physical activity and sleep duration , to reinforce healthy nutrition and eating behaviour , and to reduce media use . According to the ecological model , it included children , their parents and the teachers . The regular teachers performed the majority of the intervention and were supported by a local health promoter . The intervention included physical activity lessons , adaptation of the built infrastructure ; promotion of regional extracurricular physical activity ; playful lessons about nutrition , media use and sleep , funny homework cards and information material s for teachers and parents . It lasted one school year . Baseline and post-intervention evaluations were performed in both arms . Primary outcome measures included BMI and aerobic fitness ( 20 m shuttle run test ) . Secondary outcomes included total ( skinfolds , bioelectrical impedance ) and central ( waist circumference ) body fat , motor abilities ( obstacle course , static and dynamic balance ) , physical activity and sleep duration ( accelerometry and question naires ) , nutritional behaviour and food intake , media use , quality of life and signs of hyperactivity ( question naires ) , attention and spatial working memory ability ( two vali date d tests ) . Research ers were blinded to group allocation . Discussion The purpose of this paper is to outline the design of a school-based multicenter cluster r and omized , controlled trial aim ing to reduce body mass index and to increase aerobic fitness in preschool children in culturally different parts of Switzerl and with a high migrant population .Trial Registration Trial Registration : clinical trials.gov Background The prevalence of obesity increased while certain measures of physical fitness deteriorated in preschool children in China over the past decade . This study tested the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention that integrated childcare center , families , and community to promote healthy growth and physical fitness in preschool Chinese children . Methods This 12-month study was conducted using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design with comparison group . The participants were 357 children ( mean age = 4.5 year ) enrolled in three grade levels in two childcare centers in Beijing , China . The intervention included : 1 ) childcare center intervention ( physical activity policy changes , teacher training , physical education curriculum and food services training ) , 2 ) family intervention ( parent education , internet website for support , and family events ) , and 3 ) community intervention ( playground renovation and community health promotion events ) . The study outcome measures included body composition ( percent body fat , fat mass , and muscle mass ) , Body Mass Index ( BMI ) and BMI z-score and physical fitness scores in 20-meter agility run ( 20M-AR ) , broad jump for distance ( BJ ) , timed 10-jumps , tennis ball throwing ( TBT ) , sit and reach ( SR ) , balance beam walk ( BBW ) , 20-meter crawl ( 20M-C ) ) , 30-meter sprint ( 30M-S ) ) from a norm referenced test . Measures of process evaluation included monitoring of children ’s physical activity ( activity time and intensity ) and food preparation records , and fidelity of intervention protocol implementation . Results Children in the intervention center significantly lowered their body fat percent ( −1.2 % , p < 0.0001 ) , fat mass ( −0.55 kg , p < 0.0001 ) , and body weight ( 0.36 kg , p < 0.02 ) and increased muscle mass ( 0.48 kg , p < 0.0001 ) , compared to children in the control center . They also improved all measures of physical fitness except timed 10-jumps ( 20M-AR : −0.74 seconds , p < 0.0001 ; BJ : 8.09 cm , p < 0.0001 ; TBT : 0.52 meters , p < 0.006 ; SR : 0.88 cm , p < 0.03 ; BBW : −2.02 seconds , p < 0.0001 ; 30M-S : −0.45 seconds , p < 0.02 ; 20M-C : −3.36 seconds , p < 0.0001 ) . Process evaluation data showed that the intervention protocol was implemented with high fidelity . Conclusions The study demonstrated that a policy-driven multi-faceted intervention can improve preschool children ’s body composition and physical fitness . Program efficacy should be tested in a r and omized trial . Trial registration ChiCTR-ONRC-14004143 Background Declining levels of physical fitness in children are linked to an increased risk of developing poor physical and mental health .  Physical activity programs for children that involve regular high intensity physical activity , along with muscle and bone strengthening activities , have been identified by the World Health Organisation as a key strategy to reduce the escalating burden of ill health caused by non-communicable diseases . This paper reports the rationale and methods for a school-based intervention design ed to improve physical fitness and physical activity levels of Grade s 5 and 6 primary school children . Methods / Design Fit-4-Fun is an 8-week multi-component school-based health-related fitness education intervention and will be evaluated using a group r and omized controlled trial . Primary schools from the Hunter Region in NSW , Australia , will be invited to participate in the program in 2011 with a target sample size of 128 primary schools children ( age 10 - 13 ) . The Fit-4-Fun program is theoretically grounded and will be implemented applying the Health Promoting Schools framework . Students will participate in weekly curriculum-based health and physical education lessons , daily break-time physical activities during recess and lunch , and will complete an 8-week ( 3 × per week ) home activity program with their parents and /or family members . A battery of six health-related fitness assessment s , four days of pedometery-assessed physical activity and a question naire , will be administered at baseline , immediate post-intervention ( 2-months ) and at 6-months ( from baseline ) to determine intervention effects . Details of the method ological aspects of recruitment , inclusion criteria , r and omization , intervention program , assessment s , process evaluation and statistical analyses are described . Discussion The Fit-4-Fun program is an innovative school-based intervention targeting fitness improvements in primary school children . The program will involve a range of evidence -based behaviour change strategies to promote and support physical activity of adequate intensity , duration and type , needed to improve health-related fitness . Trial Registration NoAustralia and New Zeal and Clinical Trials Register ( ANZCTR ) : Background Identifying ways to promote physical activity and decrease sedentary time during childhood is a key public health issue . Research on the putative influences on preschool children ’s  physical activity ( PA ) and  sedentary behavior  ( SB ) is limited and has yielded inconsistent results . Our aim was to identify correlates of PA and SB in preschool children . Methods Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Swiss Preschoolers ’ Health Study ( SPLASHY ) , a Swiss population -based cohort study . Of 476 two to six year old children , 394 ( 54 % boys ) had valid PA data assessed by accelerometry .  Information on exposure data was directly measured or extracted from parental question naires . Multilevel linear regression modeling was used to separately assess associations between 35 potential correlates and  total PA ( TPA ) , moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) and SB . Results In total , 12 correlates from different domains were identified . TPA and MVPA were greater in boys than girls , increased with age and were positively associated with gross motor skills . Children from single parent families had a higher level of TPA and spent less time sedentary than those living with two parents . Time spent outdoors was positively associated with TPA and negatively with SB . The child ’s activity temperament was related all three outcomes , whereas parental sports club membership , living area per person and neighborhood safety were associated with SB only . Fixed and r and om factors in the final models accounted for 28 % , 32 % and 22 % of the total variance in TPA , MVPA and SB , respectively . Variance decomposition revealed that age , sex and activity temperament were the most influential correlates of both , TPA and MVPA , whereas the child ’s activity temperament , time outdoors and neighborhood safety were identified as the most important correlates of SB . Conclusions A multidimensional set of correlates of young children ’s  activity behavior has been identified . Personal factors had the greatest influence on PA , whereas environmental-level factors had the greatest influence on SB . Moreover , we identified a number of previously unreported , potentially modifiable correlates of young children ’s PA and SB . These factors could serve to define target groups or become valuable targets for change in future interventions .Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N41045021 ( date of registration : 21.03.14 ) Background Around a fifth of children starting school in Engl and are now overweight/obese . There is a paucity of interventions with the aim of obesity prevention in preschool-age children in the UK . Previous research has demonstrated some positive results in changing specific health behaviours , however , positive trends in overall obesity rates are lacking . Preschool setting s may provide valuable opportunities to access children and their families not only for promoting healthy lifestyles , but also to develop and evaluate behaviour-change interventions . Methods This paper presents a cluster r and omised feasibility study of a theory based behaviour-change preschool practitioner-led intervention tested in four preschool centres in the North East of Engl and . The primary outcome measures were to test the acceptability and feasibility of the data collection measures and intervention . Secondary measures were collected and reported for extra information . At baseline and post intervention , children ’s anthropometric , dietary and physical activity measures as well as family ‘ active ’ time data were collected . The preschool practitioner-led intervention included family intervention tasks such as ‘ family goal - setting activities ’ and ‘ cooking challenges ’ . Preschool activities included increasing physical activity and providing activities with the potential to change behaviour with increased knowledge of and  acceptance of healthy eating . The process evaluation was an on-going monthly process and was collected in multiple forms such as question naires , photographs and verbal feedback . Results ‘ Gatekeeper ’ permission and lower-hierarchal adherence were initially a problem for recruitment and methods acceptance . However , at intervention end the preschool teachers and parents stated they found most intervention methods and activities acceptable , and some positive changes in family health behaviours were reported . However , the preschool centres appeared to have difficulties with enforcing everyday school healthy eating policies . Conclusions The findings from the current study may have implication s for nursery practitioners , nursery setting s , Local Educational Authorities and policy makers , and contributes to the body of literature . However , further work with preschool practitioners is required to determine how personal attitudes and school policy application can be supported to implement successfully such an intervention . Trial registration IS RCT N12345678 ( 16/02/17 ) retrospectively registered BACKGROUND School programs can be effective in modifying knowledge , attitudes , and habits relevant to long-term risk of chronic diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles . As part of a long-term research strategy , we conducted an educational intervention in preschool facilities to assess changes in preschoolers ' knowledge , attitudes , and habits toward healthy eating and living an active lifestyle . METHODS Using a cluster design , we r and omly assigned 14 preschool facilities in Bogotá , Colombia to a 5-month educational and playful intervention ( 7 preschool facilities ) or to usual curriculum ( 7 preschool facilities ) . A total of 1216 children aged 3 - 5 years , 928 parents , and 120 teachers participated . A structured survey was used at baseline , at the end of the study , and 12 months later to evaluate changes in knowledge , attitudes , and habits . RESULTS Children in the intervention group showed a 10.9 % increase in weighted score , compared with 5.3 % in controls . The absolute adjusted difference was 3.90 units ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 1.64 - 6.16 ; P < .001 ) . Among parents , the equivalent statistics were 8.9 % and 3.1 % , respectively ( absolute difference 4.08 units ; 95 % CI , 2.03 to 6.12 ; P < .001 ) , and among teachers , 9.4 % and 2.5 % , respectively ( absolute difference 5.36 units ; 95 % CI , -0.29 - 11.01 ; P = .06 ) . In the intervened cohort 1 year after the intervention , children still showed a significant increase in weighted score ( absolute difference of 6.38 units ; P < .001 ) . CONCLUSIONS A preschool-based intervention aim ed at improving knowledge , attitudes , and habits related to healthy diet and active lifestyle is feasible , efficacious , and sustainable in very young children Background Obesity , sedentary lifestyle and poor cardiorespiratory fitness in childhood may increase the risk of health problems later in life . Purpose The authors studied the association of early childhood weight status with cardiorespiratory fitness and leisure-time physical activity ( LTPA ) in adolescence . The stability and associations of LTPA and fitness from childhood through adolescence were also studied . Methods  Body mass index ( BMI ) was assessed annually since birth in a prospect i ve , longitudinal study . The mean BMI between ages 2 and 7 years indicated weight status at preschool age . Fitness was studied with a shuttle run test at age 9 and with a maximal cycle ergometer test at age 17 . The same question naire was used to assess LTPA at age 9 , 13 and 17 . Complete data on preschool BMI , LTPA at ages 13 and 17 and fitness at age 17 years was provided by 351 children , while fitness and LTPA data were available for 74 children at ages 9 and 17 . Results Preschool BMI was inversely associated with fitness in adolescence independently of adolescent LTPA ( p=0.0001 ) . Children who had a high preschool BMI but whose weight status was reduced in adolescence had similar fitness in adolescence as the children with a persistently low BMI . Regardless of the fitness level in childhood , the children whose LTPA increased between age 9 and 17 had a similar adolescent fitness level as persistently active subjects . Conclusions It is important to maintain a healthy body weight and a physically active lifestyle from very childhood through adolescence to improve fitness during adolescence Background Many Australian children are insufficiently active to accrue health benefits and physical activity ( PA ) levels are consistently lower among youth of low socio-economic position .  PA levels decline dramatically during adolescence and evidence suggests that competency in a range of fundamental movement skills ( FMS ) may serve as a protective factor against this trend . Methods / design The Supporting Children ’s Outcomes Using Rewards Exercise and Skills ( SCORES ) intervention is a multi-component PA and FMS intervention for primary schools in low-income communities , which will be evaluated using a group r and omized controlled trial . The socio-ecological model provided a framework for the 12-month intervention , which includes the following components : teacher professional learning , student leadership workshops ( including leadership accreditation and rewards , e.g. , stickers , water bottles ) , PA policy review , PA equipment packs , parental engagement via newsletters , FMS homework and a parent evening , and community partnerships with local sporting organizations . Outcomes will be assessed at baseline , 6- and 12-months . The primary outcomes are PA ( accelerometers ) , FMS ( Test of Gross Motor Development II ) and cardiorespiratory fitness ( multi-stage fitness test ) . Secondary outcomes include body mass index [ using weight (kg)/height ( m2 ) ] , perceived competence , physical self-esteem , and resilience . Individual and environmental mediators of behavior change ( e.g. social support and enjoyment ) will also be assessed . The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time will be used to assess the impact of the intervention on PA within physical education lessons . Statistical analyses will follow intention-to-treat principles and hypothesized mediators of PA behavior change will be explored . Discussion SCORES is an innovative primary school-based PA and FMS intervention design ed to support students attending schools in low-income communities to be more skilled and active . The findings from the study may be used to guide teacher pre-service education , professional learning and school policy in primary schools . Trial registration Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry No : BACKGROUND Rural children are at a particular high risk for obesity . Given the importance of exercise in obesity and chronic disease prevention , this study evaluated the level and relationship between physical activity and fitness in a sample of rural third grade rs . The second purpose of the study was to determine potential differences in physical activity and fitness level by weight status in this sample . METHODS Twelve schools participating in a multidisciplinary research project were r and omly selected for the study . Body mass index-for-age percentile , the modified Self-administered Physical Activity Checklist  , and the FITNESSGRAM battery tests were utilized to determine children 's weight status , physical activity , and fitness level , respectively . RESULTS Thirty-eight percent of the 237 participating children ( 9.2 ± 0.4 years ) were overweight or obese . Nearly 15 % were extremely obese . Children spent 91.8 ± 83.8 and 32.2 ± 47.7 minutes in moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities . Obese children spent less time in moderate-intensity activity ( p < .01 ) and combined moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity more than other children ( p < .05 ) . Forty-three percent of all children failed to meet the fitness st and ard for muscular strength and 36 % failed to meet it for flexibility . CONCLUSIONS Rural children in this sample had higher rates of obesity compared to the national average ; they had poor fitness and 30 % failed to meet the minimum physical activity recommendations on the previous day . Future interventions should focus on increasing physical activity , especially of moderate-intensity , and improving physical fitness in order to reduce obesity and decrease the risk of future chronic diseases in this high-risk population Background Today ’s children are more overweight than previous generations and physical inactivity is a contributing factor . Modelling and promoting positive behaviour in the early years is imperative for the development of lifelong health habits . The social and physical environments where children spend their time have a powerful influence on behaviour . Since the majority of preschool children spend time in care outside of the home , this provides an ideal setting to examine the ability of an intervention to enhance movement skills and modify physical activity behaviour . This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Activity Begins in Childhood ( ABC ) intervention delivered in licensed daycare setting s alone or in combination with a parent-driven home physical activity-promotion component to increase preschoolers ’  overall physical activity levels and , specifically , the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity . Methods / design This study is a single site , three-arm , cluster-r and omized controlled trial design with a daycare centre as the unit of measurement ( clusters ) . All daycare centres in the National Capital region that serve children between the ages of 3 and 5 , expressing an interest in receiving the ABC intervention will be invited to participate . Those who agree will be r and omly assigned to one of three groups : i ) ABC program delivered at a daycare centre only , ii ) ABC program delivered at daycare with a home/parental education component , or iii ) regular daycare curriculum . This study will recruit 18 daycare centres , 6 in each of the three groups . The intervention will last approximately 6 months , with baseline assessment prior to ABC implementation and follow-up assessment s at 3 and 6 months . Discussion Physical activity is an acknowledged component of a healthy lifestyle and childhood experiences as it has an important impact on lifelong behaviour and health . Opportunities for physical activity and motor development in early childhood may , over the lifespan , influence the maintenance of a healthy body weight and reduce cardiovascular disease risk . If successful , the ABC program may be implemented in daycare centres as an effective way of increasing healthy activity behaviours of preschoolers . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials : IS RCT N94022291 . Registered in December 2012 , first cluster r and omized in April 2013 Background Childhood cancer and its treatment have considerable impact on a child 's physical and mental wellbeing . Especially long-term administration of chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy impairs physical fitness both during and after therapy , when children often present with muscle weakness and /or low cardiorespiratory fitness . Physical exercise can improve these two elements of physical fitness , but the positive effects of physical exercise might be further increased when a child 's wellbeing is simultaneously enhanced by psychosocial training . Feeling better may increase the willingness and motivation to engage in sports activities . Therefore , this multi-centre study evaluates the short and long-term changes in physical fitness of a child with a childhood malignancy , using a combined physical exercise and psychosocial intervention program , implemented during or shortly after treatment . Also examined is whether positive effects on physical fitness reduce inactivity-related adverse health problems , improve quality of life , and are cost-effective . Methods This multi-centre r and omized controlled trial compares a combined physical and psychosocial intervention program for children with cancer , with care as usual ( controls ) . Children with cancer ( aged 8 - 18 years ) treated with chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy , and who are no longer than 1 year post-treatment , are eligible for participation . A total of 100 children are being recruited from the paediatric oncology/haematology departments of three Dutch university medical centres . Patients are stratified according to pubertal stage ( girls : age ≤10 or > 10 years ; boys : ≤11 or > 11 years ) , type of malignancy ( haematological or solid tumour ) , and moment of inclusion into the study ( during or after treatment ) , and are r and omly assigned to the intervention or control group . Discussion Childhood cancer patients undergoing long-term cancer therapy may benefit from a combined physical exercise and psychosocial intervention program since it may maintain or enhance their physical fitness and increase their quality of life . However , the feasibility , patient need , and effectiveness of such a program should be established before the program can be implemented as part of st and ard care . Trial registration numberNTR1531 ( The Netherl and s National Trial Register BACKGROUND Previous studies on physical activity interventions in preschools have reported limited effectiveness . Participatory community-based approaches hold promise for increasing intervention effectiveness and involving parents as key stakeholders in a sustainable way . PURPOSE To assess whether a  participatory parent-focused approach using parents as agents of behavioral change enhances the efficacy of a  preschool physical activity ( PA ) intervention . DESIGN Two-armed , cluster- RCT with preschool as unit of r and omization and children as unit of analysis . SETTING / PARTICIPANTS 39 South German preschools applying for an existing state-sponsored PA program with 826 children ( 52 % boys , aged 5.0±0.2 years ) , with 441 allocated to the intervention arm .  INTERVENTION Control preschools received a state-sponsored program consisting of twice-weekly gym classes over 6 months . In intervention preschools , this program was augmented by motivating parents to develop and implement their own project ideas for promoting children 's PA . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes included mean accelerometry counts and time spent in moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA or sedentary behavior . Secondary outcomes were BMI , percentage body fat , quality of life , sleep quality , and general health . Outcomes were measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 months in both study arms ( time period : 2008 - 2010 ) . Using an intention-to-treat- analysis , linear multilevel regression models assessed change over time and across study arms , adjusted for age , gender , season , and preschool location . Analysis was conducted in 2011 . RESULTS In 15 intervention preschools , parents implemented 25 PA projects . Compared with controls , intervention arm children were 11 minutes less sedentary per day ( 95 % CI=5.39 , 17.01 , p=0.014 ) ; had significantly more mean accelerometry counts ( 1.4 counts/15 seconds [ 95 % CI=0.22 , 2.54 ] , p=0.019 ) ; and showed benefits in perceived general health and quality of life . All other outcomes showed no difference between study arms . CONCLUSIONS A participatory preschool intervention focusing on parents as agents of behavioral change may be able to promote PA and reduce sedentary behavior in preschoolers . These benefits may go beyond the effects of existing nonparticipatory interventions . TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered at clinical trials.gov NCT00987532 Abstract Numerous studies have identified a positive association between fundamental movement skill ( FMS ) competency and physical activity in children ; however , the causal pathways have not been established . The aim of this study is to determine if changes in FMS competency mediated the effect of the Supporting Children ’s Outcomes using Rewards , Exercise and Skills ( SCORES ) intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children . Eight primary schools ( 25 classes ) and 460 children ( aged 8.5 ± 0.6 , 54 % girls ) were r and omised to the SCORES intervention or control group for the 12-month study . The outcomes were accelerometer-determined moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) and cardiorespiratory fitness . The hypothesised mediators were actual FMS competency and perceived sport competence . Mediation analyses were conducted using multilevel linear analysis in MPlus . From the original sample , 138 ( 30.0 % ) and 370 ( 80.4 % ) children provided useable physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness data at post-test assessment s. There were significant treatment effects for locomotor skills and overall FMSs . Changes in MVPA were associated with changes in object-control skills , overall FMSs and perceived competence . The overall FMSs had a significant mediating effect on MVPA ( AB = 2.09 , CI = 0.01–4.55 ) . Overall FMSs ( AB = 1.19 , CI = 0.002–2.79 ) and locomotor skills ( AB = 0.74 , CI = 0.01–1.69 ) had a significant mediating effect on cardiorespiratory fitness . The results of this study conclude that actual but not perceived movement skill competency mediated the effect of the SCORES intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness This study establishes the relationship between the compliance with the governmental physical activity guidelines ( at least a minimum of one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity , MVPA , five times a week ) , health-related physical fitness and different health related lifestyle variables in a representative sample of Spanish children . Subjects were a representative group of scholars from five schools r and omly selected in Extremadura , a mainly rural region with a very low population density . Statistical analysis comprises a t-test to calculate physical fitness differences between groups , according to the compliance with the mentioned physical activity guidelines . A multinomial logistic regression coefficient is established to determine the differences between the better physical fitness status group (= percentile 75 ) and the poorer physical fitness status group (= percentile 25 ) for each fitness test and gender , body mass index , physical activity , Mediterranean diet index and population size . Main findings show that the compliance with physical activity guidelines result in a better h and grip strength in left h and ( p < 0.05 ) , leg strength ( p < 0.000 ) , speed-agility run ( p < 0.000 ) and 20 m endurance shuttle run ( p < 0.000 ) . Being a girl , being overweighed and living in an urban setting are associated with a lower physical fitness (= percentile 25 ) , whereas there is no relationship between diet quality and subjects ' performance in all physical fitness test evaluated . As a conclusion , this study emphasizes the need to promote an active lifestyle in which physical activity suppose a minimum of one hour of regular MVPA , at least five times a week , to achieve a healthy fitness status
Motor fitness , particularly balance , was the most studied fitness component , while cardiorespiratory fitness was the least studied .
While we wait for more evidence to be accumulated in preschool children , the PREFIT battery hereby proposed is a useful tool for assessing physical fitness in children aged 3–5 years
Background Physical fitness is a powerful health marker in childhood and adolescence , and it is reasonable to think that it might be just as important in younger children , i.e. preschoolers .
At the moment , research ers , clinicians and sport practitioners do not have enough information about which fitness tests are more reliable , valid and informative from the health point of view to be implemented in preschool children .
Objective Our aim was to systematic ally review the studies conducted in preschool children using field-based fitness tests , and examine their ( 1 ) reliability , ( 2 ) validity , and ( 3 ) relationship with health outcomes .
Our ultimate goal was to propose a field-based physical fitness-test battery to be used in preschool children .
After analyzing the information retrieved in the current systematic review about fitness testing in preschool children , we propose the PREFIT battery , field-based FITness testing in PREschool children .