Evaluation of an Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Low‐Income, Urban Middle Schools

Abstract

BACKGROUND Physical education (PE) can provide opportunities to engage in daily moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but MVPA levels in many classes are low. This study examines MVPA during middle school PE lessons before and after receiving the SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) program. METHODS Sixteen schools were enrolled in the study. PE teachers at eight schools received the intervention. PE lessons at all schools (N = 561) were observed over 2 years. Hierarchical linear regression models examined the effect of the intervention on the amount and consistency of MVPA and sedentary behavior. RESULTS An average of 13.7% of observed class time was spent in MVPA (approximately 5 minutes of a 60‐minute class), compared to 27.5% of time spent sedentary. There was no evidence that the curriculum resulted in increased MVPA or consistent MVPA, or that it decreased sedentary behavior. Findings also suggested that contextual factors may contribute to physical activity levels in PE. CONCLUSIONS Mixed evaluation findings of the SPARK middle school curriculum demonstrate that an out‐of‐the‐box curriculum does not have the same results in all contexts. Implications for school health are described based upon findings. Further research is needed to identify effective strategies to increase MVPA for adolescents both in and outside of PE.

Can Dynamic Breaks improve the intensity of Physical Education classes? A teaching experience of a pre-service teacher as a practitioner researcher

“…Similar interventions were done aiming to increase the PA levels in PE classes, namely using HIIT programmes (Gill et al, 2019;Segovia & Gutiérrez, 2020) and had very positive results (da Silva Bento et al, 2021). Although, none of these interventions are related with the type of content taught in class, that is one of the factors that can contribute a lot to intensity level (Hellin et al, 2019).…”

“…Several others interventions have been carried out to increase the intensity of PE classes, many of them using High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) methodologies (Gill et al, 2019;Segovia & Gutiérrez, 2020), with positive results in increasing the time spent in MVPA (da Silva Bento et al, 2021). Diaz et al, (2020), in their trial with preschool students, sought to adapt the CATCH pedagogical model and achieved positive results at the level of class intensity.…”

News of the Pedagogical Models in Physical Education—A Quick Review

“…It seeks to improve the health of students, their socialization, and their enjoyment of practicing sports. It has much scientific evidence, including the improvements obtained in academic performance [128], levels of physical activity [129,130], motor skills [131,132], and the physical condition of students with disabilities [133]. The model is composed of a curriculum for physical education of sports, games, and active recreation for children.…”

Exploring the Relationship Between MyPlate Knowledge, Perceived Diet Quality, and Healthy Eating Behaviors Among Adolescents

“…Data for this study were derived from a larger physical activity intervention study, Project SHAPE, the goal of which was to reduce disparities in physical activity and related health outcomes in middle schools serving low-income student populations. 21 Sixteen schools were selected based on the proportion of students enrolled in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. Approximately three-quarters of the student body across all 16 schools participated in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.…”