Understanding the Impact of School-Based Physical Activity Programs

NCT ID: NCT02810834

Last Updated: 2017-09-01

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

1182 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2014-09-30

Study Completion Date

2017-07-01

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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The FLEX Study is a three-year, randomized control trial that seeks to understand how two different innovative school-based physical activity (PA) programs influence not only children's time spent in MVPA but also their cognitive and academic outcomes. The FLEX Study will be implemented and evaluated by researchers from Tufts University. The project is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Schools participating in the study will be randomly assigned to receive a walking/running program, a classroom physical activity program, or no program (control) during first year and a half of the study. Third and fourth grade children will be enrolled in the study.

Physical activity will be assessed objectively using accelerometry. Additional measurements will include: BMI/BMI-z (measured height and weight), diet and physical activity questionnaires, cognitive functioning (tests of working memory and inhibitory control).

Conditions

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Physical Activity

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Walking/Running Program

Walking/running/jogging program; school-based.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Walking/Running program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

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)

Classroom activity break program

Classroom physical activity break program; school-based.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Classroom physical activity break program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

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)

Control

Control/Delayed Intervention

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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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)

Intervention Type 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)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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100 Mile Club Just Move

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

Children participants 3rd or 4th grade student in participating school (during first school year of study)

Exclusion Criteria

Not a 3rd or 4th grade student
Minimum Eligible Age

7 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

11 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, San Diego

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Tufts University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Jennifer M Sacheck, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Tufts University

Locations

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Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Neil-Sztramko SE, Caldwell H, Dobbins M. School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Sep 23;9(9):CD007651. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007651.pub3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34555181 (View on PubMed)

Sacheck JM, Wright CM, Amin SA, Anzman-Frasca S, Chomitz VM, Chui KK, Duquesnay PJ, Nelson ME, Economos CD. The Fueling Learning Through Exercise Study Cluster RCT: Impact on Children's Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity. Am J Prev Med. 2021 Jun;60(6):e239-e249. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.01.002. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33781620 (View on PubMed)

Wright CM, Chomitz VR, Duquesnay PJ, Amin SA, Economos CD, Sacheck JM. The FLEX study school-based physical activity programs - measurement and evaluation of implementation. BMC Public Health. 2019 Jan 16;19(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-6335-3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30651117 (View on PubMed)

Amin SA, Duquesnay PJ, Wright CM, Chui K, Economos CD, Sacheck JM. The Association Between Perceived Athletic Competence and Physical Activity: Implications for Low-Income Schoolchildren. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2018 Aug 1;30(3):433-440. doi: 10.1123/pes.2017-0242. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 29543115 (View on PubMed)

Wright CM, Duquesnay PJ, Anzman-Frasca S, Chomitz VR, Chui K, Economos CD, Langevin EG, Nelson ME, Sacheck JM. Study protocol: the Fueling Learning through Exercise (FLEX) study - a randomized controlled trial of the impact of school-based physical activity programs on children's physical activity, cognitive function, and academic achievement. BMC Public Health. 2016 Oct 13;16(1):1078. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3719-0.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 27737676 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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1R01HD080180-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

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R01HD080180

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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