The Effect of The Daily Mile on Primary School Children’s Aerobic Fitness Levels After 12 Weeks: A Controlled Trial

Abstract

The Daily Mile (TDM) is a school-based physical activity intervention encompassing a 15-minute run at least three times per week. This study aimed to determine (1) the effects of performing TDM for 12 weeks on Dutch primary school children’s aerobic fitness levels and (2) if additional personal support for teachers impacted the effectiveness of TDM. Nine Dutch primary schools (n = 659 children, grades 5–8) were allocated to a control (no TDM), intervention (12 weeks TDM) or intervention-plus (12 weeks TDM, additional personal support) group. The Shuttle Run Test (SRT) was used to assess aerobic fitness at baseline and follow-up. Data were analyzed using a multiple-imputed dataset and multilevel linear regression models to account for the clustering of students within classes and classes within schools. The regression analyses were adjusted for sex and age. Compared with the control group, significant intervention effects of TDM on SRT score were observed for the intervention group (β = 1.1; 95% CI: 0.8; 1.5) and the intervention-plus group (β = 0.6; 95% CI 0.3; 0.9). Additional personal support had no impact on the effectiveness of TDM. These results suggest that performing TDM at least three times per week for approximately 12 weeks increases primary school children’s aerobic fitness. Additional personal support did not improve the effectiveness of TDM on aerobic fitness within this period. These results contribute to the body of evidence surrounding TDM, but further research is needed regarding long-term implementation of TDM.

Activity patterns of primary school children during participation in The Daily Mile

“…Moreover, current evidence on the chronic effects of The Daily Mile on children’s cardiorespiratory fitness is contradictory. While some studies found improvements to cardiorespiratory fitness at 12 weeks 54 – 56 , others reported no effects to cardiorespiratory fitness following six 57 or 12 months of participation 58 . Future research could thus consider whether making adaptations to The Daily Mile and/or implementing a different activity may be more successful in contributing to these targets and improving cardiorespiratory fitness in both sexes.…”

Physical activity and fitness: The feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of wearable activity tracker technology incorporating altruistic motivation in youth

“…The teachers were very excited about the study and intervention but may have had limited time due to competing demands on instructional time. Utilizing an interventionist to assist with accelerometer implementation and monitoring may enhance the success of interventions to promote PA behaviors in the classroom (de Jonge et al, 2020). An interventionist can facilitate activities with children in the classroom or assign fun at home activity homework and alleviate additional demands on teachers.…”

The Impact of the Daily Mile™ on School Pupils’ Fitness, Cognition, and Wellbeing: Findings From Longer Term Participation

“…In a quasi-experimental pilot study conducted over 8 months with 391 pupils, The Daily Mile™ was found to lead to increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and fitness, reduction in time spent being sedentary, and improvements in body composition ( Chesham et al, 2018 ). Following this, several studies have examined the impact of The Daily Mile™ on fitness after 3–6 months ( Brustio et al, 2019 , 2020 ; de Jonge et al, 2020 ). To our knowledge, no longer term examination of the impact on pupil fitness has been reported.…”

“…In addition, fitness has been reported to have an impact on wellbeing in childhood and adolescence ( LaVigne et al, 2016 ; Marques et al, 2017 ). While taking part in The Daily Mile™ has been found to improve pupils fitness ( Chesham et al, 2018 ; Brustio et al, 2019 , 2020 ; de Jonge et al, 2020 ) it is important to consider to what extent fitness has an impact on cognition and wellbeing in this context.…”