title: Psychosocial mediators of a faith-based physical activity intervention: implications and lessons learned from null findings. Worksite Opportunities for Wellness (WOW): effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors after 1 year. Physical activity across the curriculum: year one process evaluation results Supplementary breaks and stretching exercises for data entry operators: a follow-up field study. para tu Salud: Reduction of Weight and Waistlines by Integrating Exercise Breaks into Workplace Organizational Routine Impact of a Daily 10-Minute Strength and Flexibility Program in a Manufacturing Plant Effects of Two Types of Activity on the Performance of Second-, Third-, and Fourth-Grade Students on a Test of Concentration Bone mass and structure are enhanced following a 2-year randomized controlled trial of exercise in prepubertal boys. A community intervention reduces BMI z-score in children: Shape Up Somerville first year results. The Los Angeles Lift Off: a sociocultural environmental change intervention to integrate physical activity into the workplace. Eight months of regular in-school jumping improves indices of bone strength in adolescent boys and Girls: the POWER PE study. A school-based exercise intervention elicits substantial bone health benefits: a 2-year randomized controlled trial in girls. Dose relations between goal setting, theory-based correlates of goal setting and increases in physical activity during a workplace trial. A controlled trial of a school-based environmental intervention to improve physical activity in Dutch children: JUMP-in, kids in motion. An active school model to promote physical activity in elementary schools: Action schools! BC Do walking strategies to increase physical activity reduce reported sitting in workplaces: a randomized control trial Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Physical Activity Across the Curriculum (PAAC): a randomized controlled trial to promote physical activity and diminish overweight and obesity in elementary school children. Acute exercise effects on smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke are not related to expectation A school-based exercise intervention augments bone mineral accrual in early pubertal girls. “Bounce at the Bell”: a novel program of short bouts of exercise improves proximal femur bone mass in early pubertal children Is a school-based physical activity intervention effective for increasing tibial bone strength in boys and girls? School-based physical activity does not compromise children's academic performance. The Health-e-AME Faith-Based Physical Activity Initiative: Description and Baseline Findings Very short intermittent vs continuous bouts of activity in sedentary adults. Bone mineral response to a 7-month randomized controlled, school-based jumping intervention in 121 prepubertal boys: associations with ethnicity and body mass index. Lessons Learned in Using TAKE 10! With Hispanic Children Move to Improve: a randomized workplace trial to increase physical activity.
abstract: Mediation analyses in faith-based physical activity ( PA ) interventions targeting African-American adults are lacking . The purpose of this study was to examine the psychosocial mediators of a faith-based PA intervention with African-American adults . Churches were r and omly assigned to receive immediate or delayed ( 1-year later ) training in PA program implementation . A sub sample of participants from r and omly selected churches took part in telephone surveys at baseline and at 1 year . The primary outcome was percentage of participants meeting PA recommendations . MacKinnon 's product of coefficients was used to test for mediation . Participants ( n = 418 ) from 20 churches completed the baseline and 1-year follow-up surveys . There were no statistically significant changes in PA behavior at 1 year . The intervention had a marginally significant effect on increasing the amount of instrumental church support received by church members . However , none of the psychosocial variables tested were found to be significant mediators of the intervention . Mediation analyses provided insight into potential reasons as to why the Health-e-AME intervention did not change PA . The intervention did not successfully change the targeted mediators hypothesized to change PA . Potential reasons for these shortcomings as well as issues to address in future faith-based studies are discussed OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a worksite health promotion program on improving cardiovascular disease risk factors . METHODS In St Louis , Missouri from 2005 to 2006 , 151 employees ( 134 F , 17 M , 81 % overweight/obese ) participated in a cohort-r and omized trial comparing assessment s + intervention ( worksite A ) with assessment s only ( worksite B ) for 1 year . All participants received personal health reports containing their assessment results . The intervention was design ed to promote physical activity and favorable dietary patterns using pedometers , healthy snack cart , WeightWatchers(R ) meetings , group exercise classes , seminars , team competitions , and participation rewards . Outcomes included BMI , body composition , blood pressure , fitness , lipids , and Framingham 10-year coronary heart disease risk . RESULTS 123 participants , aged 45+/-9 yr , with BMI 32.9+/-8.8 kg/m(2 ) completed 1 year . Improvements ( P < or = 0.05 ) were observed at both worksites for fitness , blood pressure , and total- , HDL- , and LDL-cholesterol . Additional improvements occurred at worksite A in BMI , fat mass , Framingham risk score , and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome ; only the changes in BMI and fat mass were different between worksites . CONCLUSION A multi-faceted worksite intervention promoted favorable changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors , but many of the improvements were achieved with worksite health assessment s and personalized health reports in the absence of an intervention Background Physical Activity Across the Curriculum ( PAAC ) is a 3-year elementary school-based intervention to determine if increased amounts of moderate intensity physical activity performed in the classroom will diminish gains in body mass index ( BMI ) . It is a cluster-r and omized , controlled trial , involving 4905 children ( 2505 intervention , 2400 control ) . Methods We collected both qualitative and quantitative process evaluation data from 24 schools ( 14 intervention and 10 control ) , which included tracking teacher training issues , challenges and barriers to effective implementation of PAAC lessons , initial and continual use of program specified activities , and potential competing factors , which might contaminate or lessen program effects . Results Overall teacher attendance at training sessions showed exceptional reach . Teachers incorporated active lessons on most days , result ing in significantly greater student physical activity levels compared to controls ( p < 0.0001 ) . Enjoyment ratings for classroom-based lessons were also higher for intervention students . Competing factors , which might influence program results , were not carried out at intervention or control schools or were judged to be minimal . Conclusion In the first year of the PAAC intervention , process evaluation results were instrumental in identifying successes and challenges faced by teachers when trying to modify existing academic lessons to incorporate physical activity BACKGROUND This study exp and ed previous NIOSH-IRS research examining the effects of rest breaks and stretching exercises on symptoms and performance in data -entry workers . METHODS All workers spent 4 weeks with conventional breaks ( two 15 min breaks per day ) and 4 weeks with supplementary breaks ( two 15 min breaks plus four 5 min breaks per day ) . One-half were assigned at r and om to a group instructed to perform brief stretching exercises during breaks . The remainder comprised the " no stretching " ( control ) group . RESULTS 51 workers ( stretch group n = 21 ; no stretch group n = 30 ) completed the study symptom question naires . Discomfort and eyestrain were significantly lower with supplementary breaks , and supplementary breaks attenuated accumulation of discomfort and eyestrain during work sessions . Data -entry speed was significantly faster with supplementary breaks so that work output was maintained , despite replacing 20 min of work time with break time . In the stretch group , workers reported  stretching  during only 25 % of conventional breaks and 39 % of supplementary breaks , and no significant effects of stretching on discomfort or performance were observed . CONCLUSIONS These results provide further converging evidence that supplementary breaks reliably minimize discomfort and eyestrain without impairing productivity . Low compliance in performing stretches prevented valid assessment of stretching effects . Further research on stretching exercises and exercise compliance is warranted Introduction Proactive worksite strategies that change the physical or sociocultural environment(s ) to incorporate obligatory physical activity may be necessary to engage sedentary people . This study describes implementation and evaluation of an intervention , Pausa para tu Salud ( Pause for Your Health ) , that integrated a brief period of group exercise into the workday . Methods An uncontrolled pretest – post-test study design tested the effects of integrating daily 10-minute exercise breaks during paid work time during January 2003 through January 2004 . A total of 335 Mexican Ministry of Health office workers provided baseline data as a part of routine annual clinical screening examinations . Results Baseline mean body mass index and waist circumferences were 27.8 kg/m2 and 87.6 cm for women and 26.6 kg/m2 and 89.7 cm for men . Complete data were available for 271 ( 80.9 % ) employees at 1-year follow-up . Two-tailed , paired t-test comparisons were used . Body mass index decreased by 0.32 kg/m2 ( P = .05 ) , and waist circumference by 1.6 cm ( P = .0009 ) overall . The body mass index decrease , however , was significant only for men ( −0.43 kg/m2 , P = .03 ) . Multivariate analyses revealed a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure among women ( z = −2.04 , P = .042 ) . Conclusion The intervention was associated with significant improvements in both measures of body composition . Substantive health and organizational benefits may result from integrating brief periods of physical activity into the workday if these findings are replicated in r and omized controlled trials in other worksites In summary , employees ' flexibility and mood showed modest improvements following the implementation of a plant-wide , 10-minute , daily flexibility and strength program . The initial six-week pilot study , administered prior to the plant-wide program implementation , successfully assessed program feasibility , assessed the efficiency of program implementation , identified administrative and logistical concerns , and generated pilot data needed to secure managerial support . Despite the noted significant increases in grip strength in the pilot study , no increases were observed following the six months of plant-wide implementation . This may be related to the differences in low average pretest grip strength for the pilot study compared to the higher scores for the main study population . The pilot study subjects may have received a sufficient exercise stimulus to increase grip strength over the course of six weeks . In contrast , this may not have been the case for the main study subjects due to their higher initial mean grip strength . An increased number of exercises design ed to directly impact grip strength may be needed to improve this parameter The appropriateness of recess in the elementary program continues to be question ed although generally it is believed to be useful by elementary principals despite a dearth of supportive data . This study was a developmental study of the effects of physical activity on concentration . Comparison of passive and directed physical education activities on the concentration of second- , third- , and fourth- grade children was made . The Woodcock-Johnson Test of Concentration showed better performance by the fourth grade rs and within Grade 4 in favor of the physical activity group . A structured physical activity or a classroom activity immediately prior to a concentration task was not detrimental to children in Grade s 2 and 3 . Fourth- grade children performed significantly better on a test of concentration after engaging in a physical activity Exercise during growth has a positive influence on bone mineral accrual , yet little is known about how bone geometry and strength adapt to loading during growth . Our primary objective was to compare changes in proximal femur bone geometry and strength between 31 prepubertal ( Tanner Stage 1 ) boys who participated in a school-based , high-impact circuit intervention ( 12 min , three times a week ) for 20 months and 33 maturity-matched controls . Our secondary objective was to compare changes in total body ( TB ) , proximal femur ( PF ) , and lumbar spine ( LS ) bone mineral content ( BMC ) and bone area ( BA ) in these groups . We assessed geometric variables and bone strength at the narrow neck ( NN ) , intertrochanteric ( TR ) region , and femoral shaft regions by applying the Hip Structure Analysis program to proximal femur dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans ( DXA , Hologic QDR 4500 ) . Further , we assessed total body , lumbar spine , and proximal femur BMC and BA by DXA and derived total body lean mass and fat mass from total body scans . Intervention ( 10.2 + /- 0.5 years ) and control boys ( 10.1 + /- 0.5 years ) had similar baseline height ( 140.8 vs. 141.3 cm ) and weight ( 36.9 vs. 35.4 kg ) , and average 20-month physical activity scores ( Physical Activity Question naire for Children , PAQ-C ) and calcium intakes ( 861 vs. 852 mg/day , food frequency question naire ) . Twenty-month height and weight changes were not significantly different between groups ; lean mass changed more ( P < 0.05 ) in intervention boys ( 22.8 % ) than control boys ( 18.6 % ) . At the NN region , intervention boys had greater bone expansion on both the periosteal ( + 2.6 % , P = 0.1 ) and endosteal ( + 2.7 % , P = 0.2 ) surfaces , result ing in significantly greater changes in section modulus ( bone bending strength ) ( + 7.5 % , P = 0.02 , ANCOVA , adjusting for height change , final Tanner Stage , and baseline bone values ) . Changes at the intertrochanteric and femoral shaft regions were not significantly different between groups . Femoral neck ( FN ) BMC changes were significantly greater in intervention boys ( + 4.3 % , P < 0.01 ) ; changes in BA and BMC for other regions were not significantly different between groups . In summary , a school-based , high-impact exercise intervention implemented three times a week for 12 min is an effective strategy for site-specific gains in bone strength at the narrow neck region of the proximal femur OBJECTIVE The objective was to test the hypothesis that a community-based environmental change intervention could prevent weight gain  in young children ( 7.6 + /- 1.0 years ) . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES A non-r and omized controlled trial was conducted in three culturally diverse urban cities in Massachusetts . Somerville was the intervention community ; two socio-demographically-matched cities were  control communities . Children ( n = 1178 ) in grade s 1 to 3 attending public elementary schools participated in an intervention design ed to bring the energy equation into balance by increasing physical activity options and availability of healthful foods within the before- , during- , after-school , home , and community environments . Many groups and individuals within the community ( including children , parents , teachers , school food service providers , city departments , policy makers , healthcare providers , before- and after-school programs , restaurants , and the media ) were engaged in the intervention . The main outcome measure was change in BMI z-score . RESULTS At baseline , 44 % ( n = 385 ) , 36 % ( n = 561 ) , and 43 % ( n = 232 ) of children were above the 85th percentile for BMI z-score in the intervention and the two control communities , respectively . In the intervention community , BMI z-score decreased by -0.1005 ( p = 0.001 , 95 % confidence interval , -0.1151 to -0.0859 ) compared with children in the control communities after controlling for baseline covariates . DISCUSSION A community-based environmental change intervention decreased BMI z-score  in children at high risk for obesity . These results are significant given the obesigenic environmental backdrop against which the intervention occurred . This model demonstrates promise for communities throughout the country confronted with escalating childhood obesity rates PURPOSE To present the development and feasibility testing of a sociocultural environmental change intervention strategy aim ed at integrating physical activity into workplace routine . DESIGN R and omized , controlled , post-test only , intervention trial . Setting . Los Angeles County Department of Health Services ' worksites . PARTICIPANTS Four hundred forty-nine employees , predominantly sedentary , overweight , middle-aged women of color , distributed across 26 meetings . INTERVENTION A single 10-min exercise break during work time involving moderate intensity , low-impact aerobic dance and calisthenic movements to music . MEASURES Primary -level of participation , particularly among sedentary staff ; secondary -self-perceived health status , satisfaction with current fitness level , and mood/affective state . RESULTS More than 90 % of meeting attendees participated in the exercises . Among completely sedentary individuals , intervention participants ' self-perceived health status ratings were significantly lower than controls ' ( OR = 0.17 ; 95 % CI = 0.05 , 0.60 ; P = 0.0003 ) . Among all respondents not regularly physically active , intervention participants ' levels of satisfaction with fitness were more highly correlated with self-ranked physical activity stage of change ( r = 0.588 ) than the control participants ' ( r = 0.376 , z = -2.32 , p = 0.02 ) . Among the completely sedentary , control participants reported significantly higher levels of energy than did intervention participants ( P < 0.01 ) . CONCLUSIONS Captive audiences may be engaged in brief bouts of exercise as a part of the workday , regardless of physical activity level or stage of change . This experience may also appropriately erode sedentary individuals ' self-perception of good health and fitness , providing motivation for adoption of more active lifestyles The POWER PE study was an 8-mo , r and omized , controlled , school-based exercise intervention design ed to apply known principles of effective bone loading to practical opportunities to improve life-long musculoskeletal outcomes . A total of 99 adolescents ( 46 boys and 53 girls ) with a mean age of 13.8 + /- 0.4 yr ( peri- to postpubertal ) volunteered to participate . Intervention subjects performed 10 min of jumping activity in place of regular physical education ( PE ) warm up . Control subjects performed usual PE warm-up activities .  Bone mass ( DXA and QUS ) was assessed at baseline and follow-up along with anthropometry , maturity , muscle power , and estimates of physical activity and dietary calcium . Geometric properties ( such as femoral neck [ FN ] moment of inertia ) were calculated from DXA measures . Boys in the intervention group experienced improvements in calcaneal broadb and ultrasound attenuation ( BUA ) ( + 5.0 % ) and fat mass ( -10.5 % ) , whereas controls did not ( + 1.4 % and -0.8 % , respectively ) . Girls in the intervention group improved FN BMC ( + 13.9 % ) and lumbar spine ( LS ) BMAD ( + 5.2 % ) more than controls ( + 4.9 % and + 1.5 % , respectively ) . Between-group comparisons of change showed intervention effects only for whole body ( WB ) BMC ( + 10.6 % versus + 6.3 % ) for boys . Boys in the intervention group gained more lean tissue mass , trochanter ( TR ) BMC , LS BMC , and WB BMC and lost more fat mass than girls in the intervention group ( p < 0.05 ) . Ten minutes of jumping activity twice a week for 8 mo during adolescence seems to improve bone accrual in a sex-specific manner . Boys increased WB bone mass and BUA , and reduced fat mass , whereas girls improved bone mass at the hip and spine OBJECTIVE Childhood weight-bearing physical activity is recognized as an important determinant of peak bone mass , and physical activity intervention may represent a feasible strategy for primary prevention of osteoporosis . Previous school-based exercise interventions have all been of < 10 months in duration . We implemented a high-impact , circuit-based , jumping intervention ( 10 minutes , 3 times a week ) over 2 school years and compared changes in bone mineral content ( BMC ) over 20 months ( 2 school years ) in 9.9 + /- 0.6-year-old intervention girls ( N = 32 ) and controls ( 10.3 + /- 0.4 years , N = 43 ) . METHODS We measured BMC for the total body , lumbar spine , proximal femur ( and femoral neck and trochanteric subregions ) , and lean and fat mass by dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry ( Hologic QDR 4500 ) , and height , sitting height , leg length , and weight at baseline and 20 months . We assessed Tanner stage , general physical activity , and calcium intake by question naire . RESULTS Girls were Tanner breast stage 1 to 3 at baseline . There were no significant differences in baseline or 20-month change in body size or composition , average physical activity , or calcium intake between groups . There were substantially greater gains in lumbar spine ( 41.7 % vs 38.0 % ) and femoral neck ( 24.8 % vs 20.2 % ) BMC in intervention than in control girls ( P < .05 , analysis of covariance ; covariates were baseline BMC and height , change in height , physical activity , and final Tanner stage ) . CONCLUSION Three brief sessions of high-impact exercise per week implemented over 2 consecutive years within the elementary school curriculum elicited a substantial bone mineral accrual advantage in pubertal girls The effectiveness of an intervention depends on its dose and on moderators of dose , which usually are not studied . The purpose of the study is to determine whether goal setting and theory-based moderators of goal setting had dose relations with increases in goal -related physical activity during a successful workplace intervention . A  group-r and omized 12-week intervention that included personal goal setting was implemented in fall 2005 , with a multiracial/ethnic sample of employees at 16 geographically diverse worksites . Here , we examined dose-related variables in the cohort of participants ( N = 664 ) from the 8 worksites r and omized to the intervention . Participants in the intervention exceeded 9000 daily pedometer steps  and 300 weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA )  during the last 6 weeks of the study , which approximated or exceeded current public health guidelines . Linear growth modeling indicated that participants who set higher goals and sustained higher levels of self-efficacy , commitment and intention about attaining their goals had greater increases in pedometer steps and MVPA . The relation between change in participants ' satisfaction with current physical activity and increases in physical activity was mediated by increases in self-set goals . The results show a dose relation of increased physical activity with changes in goal setting , satisfaction , self-efficacy , commitment and intention , consistent with goal - setting theory Interventions to promote physical activity are important in preventing children from becoming overweight . Many projects have been developed but only a few showed ( moderate ) effects . JUMP-in is a systematic ally developed primary -school-based intervention that focuses on the use of theory , environmental changes , parental influences and cooperation with multi-level parties in intervention development . The effects of JUMP-in were evaluated with a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test research design . In total , 510 children from Grade s 4 , 5 and 6 of four intervention schools and two control schools in Amsterdam were followed for an intervention period of one school year . Changes in physical activity as well as in the social cognitive determinants were assessed using self-reports . In addition , a process evaluation has been executed . The results show that JUMP-in was effective in influencing physical activity , especially among children from Grade 6 . Children in the control group decreased their level of physical activity considerably , while activity levels in intervention children from Grade 6 remained stable . The intervention effects could not be explained by changes in the measured social cognitive determinants . In contrast , process information illuminated differences in intervention effects between the participating schools . The results from the JUMP-in study show the importance of intervention design s that focus on a theory-based mix of relevant environmental and social cognitive factors Objective : To assess the impact of an active school model on  children ’s physical activity ( PA ) . Design : 16-month cluster r and omised controlled trial . Setting : 10 elementary schools in Greater Vancouver , BC . Participants : 515 children aged 9–11 years . Intervention : Action Schools ! BC ( AS ! BC ) is an active school model that provided schools with training and re sources to increase children ’s PA . Schools implemented AS ! BC with support from either external liaisons ( liaison schools , LS ; four schools ) or internal champions ( champion schools , CS ; three schools ) . Outcomes were compared with usual practice ( UP ) schools ( three schools ) . Main outcome measurements : PA was measured four times during the study using pedometers ( step count , steps/day ) . Results : Boys in the LS group took 1175 more steps per day , on average , than boys in the UP group ( 95 % CI : 97 to 2253 ) . Boys in the CS group also tended to have a higher step count than boys in the UP group ( + 804 steps/day ; 95 % CI : −341 to 1949 ) . There was no difference in girls ’ step counts across groups . Conclusions : The positive effect of the AS ! BC model on boys ’ PA is important in light of the current global trend of decreased PA Background Interventions design ed to increase workplace physical activity may not automatically reduce high volumes of sitting , a behaviour independently linked to chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes . This study compared the impact two different walking strategies had on step counts and reported sitting times . Methods Participants were white-collar university employees ( n = 179 ; age 41.3 ± 10.1 years ; 141 women ) , who volunteered and undertook a st and ardised ten-week intervention at three sites .  Pre-intervention step counts  ( Yamax SW-200 ) and  self-reported sitting times  were measured over five consecutive workdays . Using pre-intervention step counts , employees at each site were r and omly allocated to a control group ( n = 60 ; maintain normal behaviour ) , a route-based walking group ( n = 60 ; at least 10 minutes sustained walking each workday ) or an incidental walking group ( n = 59 ; walking in workday tasks ) . Workday step counts and reported sitting times were re-assessed at the beginning , mid- and endpoint of intervention and group mean± SD steps/day and reported sitting times for pre-intervention and intervention measurement points compared using a mixed factorial ANOVA ; paired sample -t-tests were used for follow-up , simple effect analyses . Results A significant interactive effect ( F = 3.5 ; p < 0.003 ) was found between group and step counts . Daily steps for controls decreased over the intervention period ( -391 steps/day ) and increased for route ( 968 steps/day ; t = 3.9 , p < 0.000 ) and incidental ( 699 steps/day ; t = 2.5 , p < 0.014 ) groups . There were no significant changes for reported sitting times , but average values did decrease relative to the control ( routes group = 7 minutes/day ; incidental group = 15 minutes/day ) . Reductions were most evident for the incidental group in the first week of intervention , where reported sitting decreased by an average of 21 minutes/day ( t = 1.9 ; p < 0.057 ) . Conclusion Compared to controls , both route and incidental walking increased physical activity  in white-collar employees . Our data suggests that workplace walking , particularly through incidental movement , also has the potential to decrease employee sitting times , but there is a need for on-going research using concurrent and objective measures of sitting , st and ing and walking PURPOSE This study evaluated the effects of a classroom-based physical activity program on  children 's in-school physical activity levels  and on-task behavior during academic instruction . METHODS Physical activity of 243 students was assessed during school hours . Intervention-group students ( N = 135 ) received a classroom-based program ( i.e. , Energizers ) . The control group ( N = 108 ) did not receive Energizers .  On-task behavior during academic instruction time was observed for 62 third- grade ( N = 37 ) and fourth- grade students ( N = 25 ) before and after Energizers activities . An independent groups t-test compared in-school physical activity levels between intervention and control classes . A multiple-baseline across-classrooms design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Energizers on on-task behavior . Additionally , a two-way ( time [ pre- vs postobservation ] x period [ baseline vs intervention ] ) repeated- measures analysis of variance compared on-task behavior between observation periods . Magnitudes of mean differences were evaluated with Cohen 's delta ( ES ) . RESULTS Students in the intervention group took significantly ( P < 0.05 ) more in-school steps ( 5587 + /- 1633 ) than control-group students ( 4805 + /- 1543 ) , and the size of this difference was moderate ( ES = 0.49 ) . The intervention was effective in improving on-task behavior ; after the Energizers were systematic ally implemented , on-task behavior systematic ally improved . The improvement in on-task behavior of 8 % between the pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations was statistically significant ( P < 0.017 ) , and the difference was moderate ( ES = 0.60 ) . Likewise , the least on-task students improved on-task behavior by 20 % after Energizers activities . This improvement was statistically significant ( P < 0.001 ) and meaningful ( ES = 2.20 ) . CONCLUSION A classroom-based physical activity program was effective for increasing daily in-school physical activity and improving on-task behavior during academic instruction BACKGROUND Physical Activity Across the Curriculum ( PAAC ) was a three-year cluster r and omized controlled trial to promote physical activity and diminish increases in overweight and obesity in elementary school children . METHODS Twenty-four elementary schools were cluster r and omized to the Physical Activity Across the Curriculum intervention or served as control .  All children in grade s two and three were followed to grade s four and five .  Physical Activity Across the Curriculum promoted 90 min/wk of moderate to vigorous intensity physically active academic lessons delivered by classroom teachers . Body Mass Index was the primary outcome , daily Physical activity and academic achievement were secondary outcomes . RESULTS The three-year change in Body Mass Index for Physical Activity Across the Curriculum was 2.0+/-1.9 and control 1.9+/-1.9 , respectively ( NS ) . However , change in Body Mass Index from baseline to 3 years was significantly influenced by exposure to Physical Activity Across the Curriculum . Schools with > or = 75 min of Physical Activity Across the Curriculum/wk showed significantly less increase in Body Mass Index at 3 years compared to schools that had < 75 min of Physical Activity Across the Curriculum ( 1.8+/-1.8 vs. 2.4+/-2.0 , p=0.02 ) . Physical Activity Across the Curriculum schools had significantly greater changes in daily Physical activity and academic achievement scores . CONCLUSIONS The Physical Activity Across the Curriculum approach may promote daily Physical activity and academic achievement in elementary school children . Additionally , 75 min of Physical Activity Across the Curriculum activities may attenuate increases in Body Mass Index Rationale Recent research has shown that 10 min of moderate intensity exercise reduce smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in acutely abstinent smokers . The aim of the current study was to determine whether the reductions are related to participant expectation of these effects . Material s and methods Forty-five sedentary participants who had smoked ten or more cigarettes per day for at least 3 years reported their expectation of the effects of exercise on smoking withdrawal symptoms .  Approximately 1 month later , participants were r and omly assigned to one of three groups after 11–15 h of overnight smoking abstinence . Each group read either a positive , negative or neutral statement concerning exercise effects on smoking withdrawal symptoms . They rated their expectation again and then completed 10 min of moderate intensity exercise on a stationary bicycle ergometer . Using st and ardised scales , participants rated smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke at 10 , 5 and 0 min before exercise , then at 5 and 10 min during exercise and 15 and 20 min post-exercise . Results Expectation of exercise effects on withdrawal were manipulated in the predicted directions . No significant group main effects were found for any symptom . Significant reductions in symptoms and desire to smoke occurred during and after exercise regardless of participant expectation . Conclusions Ten minutes of moderate intensity exercise can lead to reductions in desire to smoke and smoking withdrawal symptoms , which are not due to the participant ’s expectation of exercise effects . These findings support the use of short periods of exercise as an aid to smoking cessation OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of an elementary school-based physical education exercise intervention program on bone mineral accrual in prepubertal and early pubertal girls . STUDY DESIGN A total of 14 schools were r and omly assigned to control ( C ) and intervention ( I ) groups . Girls in the I group completed a 10-minute , 3 times per week circuit of varied jumping activities over 7 months . We measured total body , lumbar spine , proximal femur , femoral neck , and trochanteric bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density and estimated femoral neck volumetric bone mineral density at baseline and final measurement in 87 girls in the I group and 90 girls in the C group . Girls were between 8.7 and 11.7 years at baseline . Tanner stage 1 girls were considered prepubertal ; Tanner stages 2 and 3 girls were considered early pubertal . We used analysis of covariance ( adjusting for baseline bone values , change in size , age , and maturity ) to compare 7-month change in bone mineral content , areal bone mineral density , and volumetric bone mineral density between C and I groups within prepubertal and early pubertal girls . RESULTS There was no difference in 7-month change in bone parameters between prepubertal I and C groups . Early pubertal girls in the I group gained 1.5 % to 3.1 % more bone at the femoral neck and lumbar spine than early pubertal girls in the C group ( P < .05 ) ; gain at other sites did not differ . CONCLUSIONS In girls , early puberty may be a particularly opportune time during growth for simple exercise interventions to have a positive effect on bone health Objectives : To examine the effects of a simple and inexpensive physical activity intervention on change in bone mass and structure in school aged children . Methods : Fifty one children ( n = 23 boys and 28 girls ; mean age 10.1 years ) participated in “ Bounce at the Bell ” which consisted of 10 counter-movement jumps 3 × per day ( total ∼3 min/day ) . Controls were 71 matched children who followed usual school practice . We assessed dietary calcium , physical activity , physical performance , and anthropometry in September and after 8 months of intervention ( June ) . We measured bone mineral content ( BMC ) and bone area at the lumbar spine , total body , and proximal femur . Proximal femur scans were also analysed for bone geometry and structural strength using the hip structural analysis program . Lean and fat mass ( g ) were also calculated . Results : Groups were similar at baseline and did not differ in weight , height , total body , lumbar spine , proximal femur , or femoral neck BMC . Control children had a greater increase in adjusted total body BMC ( 1.4 % ) . Intervention children gained significantly more BMC at the total proximal femur ( 2 % ) and the intertrochanteric region ( 27 % ) . Change in bone structural parameters did not differ between groups . Conclusions : This novel , easily implemented exercise program , took only a few minutes each day and enhanced bone mass at the weight bearing proximal femur in early pubertal children . A large , r and omised study of boys and girls should be undertaken powered to test the effectiveness of Bounce at the Bell in children at different stages of maturity , and in boys and girls independently UNLABELLED This 16-month r and omized , controlled school-based study compared change in tibial bone strength between 281 boys and girls participating in a daily program of physical activity ( Action Schools ! BC ) and 129 same-sex controls . The simple , pragmatic intervention increased distal tibia bone strength in prepubertal boys ; it had no effect in early pubertal boys or pre or early pubertal girls . INTRODUCTION Numerous school-based exercise interventions have proven effective for enhancing BMC , but none have used pQCT to evaluate the effects of increased loading on bone strength during growth . Thus , our aim was to determine whether a daily program of physical activity , Action Schools ! BC ( AS ! BC ) would improve tibial bone strength in boys and girls who were pre- ( Tanner stage 1 ) or early pubertal ( Tanner stage 2 or 3 ) at baseline . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Ten schools were r and omized to intervention ( INT , 7 schools ) or control ( CON , 3 schools ) . The bone-loading component of AS ! BC included a daily jumping program ( Bounce at the Bell ) plus 15 minutes/day of classroom physical activity in addition to regular physical education . We used pQCT to compare 16-month change in bone strength index ( BSI , mg2/mm4 ) at the distal tibia ( 8 % site ) and polar strength strain index ( SSIp , mm3 ) at the tibial midshaft ( 50 % site ) in 281 boys and girls participating in AS ! BC and 129 same-sex controls . We used a linear mixed effects model to analyze our data . RESULTS Children were 10.2+/-0.6 years at baseline . Intervention boys tended to have a greater increase in BSI ( + 774.6 mg2/mm4 ; 95 % CI : 672.7 , 876.4 ) than CON boys ( + 650.9 mg2/mm4 ; 95 % CI : 496.4 , 805.4 ) , but the difference was only significant in prepubertal boys ( p=0.03 for group x maturity interaction ) . Intervention boys also tended to have a greater increase in SSIp ( + 198.6 mm3 ; 95 % CI : 182.9 , 214.3 ) than CON boys ( + 177.1 mm3 ; 95 % CI : 153.5 , 200.7 ) . Change in BSI and SSIp was similar between CON and INT girls . CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a simple , pragmatic program of daily activity enhances bone strength at the distal tibia in prepubertal boys . The precise exercise prescription needed to elicit a similar response in more mature boys or in girls might be best addressed in a dose-response trial PURPOSE The purpose of this study was twofold : 1 ) to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention , Action Schools ! BC ( AS ! BC ) , for maintaining academic performance in a multiethnic group of elementary children , and 2 ) to determine whether boys and girls ' academic performance changed similarly after participation in AS ! BC . METHODS This was a 16-month cluster r and omized controlled trial . Ten schools were r and omized to intervention ( INT ) or usual practice ( UP ) . One INT school administered the wrong final test , and one UP school grade d their own test , so both were excluded . Thus , eight schools ( six INT , two UP ) were included in the final analysis . Children ( 143 boys , 144 girls ) in grade s 4 and 5 were recruited for the study . We used the Canadian Achievement Test ( CAT-3 ) to evaluate academic performance ( TotScore ) . Weekly teacher activity logs determined amounts of physical activity delivered by teachers to students . Physical activity was determined with the Physical Activity Question naire for Children ( PAQ-C ) . Independent t-tests compared descriptive variables between groups and between boys and girls . We used a mixed linear model to evaluate differences in TotScore at follow-up between groups and between girls and boys . RESULTS Physical activity delivered by teachers to children in INT schools was increased by 47 min x wk(-1 ) ( 139 + /- 62 vs 92 + /- 45 , P < 0.001 ) . Participants attending UP schools had significantly higher baseline TotScores than those attending INT schools . Despite this , there was no significant difference in TotScore between groups at follow-up and between boys and girls at baseline and follow-up . CONCLUSION The AS ! BC model is an attractive and feasible intervention to increase physical activity for students while maintaining levels of academic performance This article provides an overview of the development , implementation , and baseline findings from a statewide faith-based physical activity ( PA ) initiative . The 3-year program is training African Method ist Episcopal volunteers across South Carolina to implement  programs to increase  PA  in their congregations . To date , 98 churches have been trained . Interviews done with a r and om sample ( n = 39 ) indicated that 54 % are implementing at least one PA program . The baseline telephone survey  ( N = 571 ) estimates that 27.8 % of the population is regularly active  , 54.9 % underactive , and 17.3 % sedentary . Baseline rates of regular PA  were higher in those who were younger , healthier , and nonsmokers . Challenges to date have included obtaining rosters and implementing a large-scale program with limited re sources . Interest in the program has been strong and supported by church leaders . Current efforts are on training additional churches and working with those already trained to support sustainability OBJECTIVE Whether accumulating short intermittent bouts of light-to-moderate physical activity ( LMPA ) can elicit significant improvements in the fitness of sedentary adults , compared to one longer continuous bout . METHODS Fifty sedentary 35- to 60-year-old adults in Hong Kong were r and omly appointed to one of two gender-balanced intervention programs : Exercise Prescription Model ( EPM ) of 30-minute continuous activity , 3 - 4 days per week , or a Lifestyle group ( LIFE ) of 6-minute activity , 5 times per day , 4 - 5 days per week . Aerobic fitness ( VO(2)max ) , mass , body composition , blood pressure , waist-to-hip ratio , and body mass index ( BMI ) were assessed at baseline ( December 1995 ) and after 8 weeks . RESULTS Nearly half of bouts by the LIFE group were < or = 6 min , while 85 % of the EPM bouts were > or = 30 min , with no differences in additional energy expenditure between groups ( EPM : 163.0+/-89.6 MET h vs LIFE : 148.2+/-71.6 MET h ) . Both groups significantly improved their VO(2)max , 7.4 % ( ES=0.36 ) and 5.3 % ( ES=0.24 ) for the EPM and Lifestyle groups respectively ( F((1,43))=34.0 , p<0.0001 ) . CONCLUSIONS Accumulating multiple short bouts of LMPA , of which approximately 50 % were < or = 6 min , can provide significant improvements in the fitness of sedentary adults that is not dissimilar as one continuous bout of similar total duration We examined the effects of a 7-month jumping intervention ( 10 minutes , 3 times per week ) on bone mineral gain in prepubertal Asian and white boys ( 10.3+/-0.6 years , 36.0+/-9.2 kg ) at 14 schools r and omized to control ( n = 60 ) and intervention ( n = 61 ) groups . Intervention and control groups had similar mean baseline and change in height , weight , lean mass and fat mass , baseline areal bone mineral density ( aBMD ; g/cm2 ) , bone mineral content ( BMC ; g ; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [ DXA ] , QDR 4500W ) , and similar average physical activity and calcium intakes . Over 7 months , the intervention group gained more total body ( TB ) BMC ( 1.6%,p < 0.01 ) and proximal femur ( PF ) aBMD ( 1 % , p < 0.05 ) than the control group after adjusting for age , baseline weight , change in height , and loaded physical activity . We also investigated the 41 Asian and 50 white boys ( 10.2+/-0.6 years and 31.9+/-4.4 kg ) who were below the 75th percentile ( 19.4 kg/m2 ) of the cohort mean for baseline body mass index ( BMI ) . Boys in the intervention group gained significantly more TB and lumbar spine ( LS ) BMC , PF aBMD , and trochanteric ( TR ) aBMD ( + approximately2 % ) than boys in the control group ( adjusted for baseline weight , final Tanner stage , change in height , and loaded physical activity ) . Bone changes were similar between Asians and whites . Finally , we compared the boys in the  control group ( n = 16 ) and the boys in the intervention group ( n = 14 ) whose baseline BMI fell in the highest quartile ( 10.5+/-0.6 years and 49.1+/-8.2 kg ) . Seven-month bone changes ( adjusted as aforementioned ) were similar in the control and intervention groups . In summary , jumping exercise augmented bone mineral accrual at several regions equally in prepubertal Asian and white boys of average or low BMI , and intervention effects on bone mineral were undetectable in high BMI prepubertal boys Physical inactivity and lack of nutritious diets increase children ’s risk of obesity , especially children from low-income and ethnic minority groups . To address this risk , the school-based TAKE 10 ! program was implemented to increase the physical activity and improve the nutrition of K-6th grade students in one public urban school serving a predominantly low-income , Hispanic population . In this study the research ers ( a ) evaluated the program outcomes using the physical activity and nutrition question naires provided with the TAKE 10 ! curriculum material , teacher surveys , observations , and interview data ; ( b ) evaluated the question naires provided with the TAKE 10 ! curriculum material and provided suggestions for modification ; and ( c ) described the experience of a positive partnership among school , university , and community agencies implementing the TAKE 10 ! curriculum . Based on the findings , recommendations are offered for successful physical activity and nutrition health promotion programs for these children BACKGROUND Workplaces are important setting s for interventions to increase physical activity , but effects have been modest . PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of Move to Improve , a social-ecologic intervention delivered at the workplace to increase leisure-time physical activity . METHODS A group-r and omized 12-week intervention consisting of organizational action and personal and team goal - setting was implemented in Fall 2005 , with a multi-racial/ethnic sample of 1442 employees at 16 worksites of The Home Depot , Inc. Change in physical activity was analyzed in Fall 2007 using latent growth modeling and latent transition analysis . RESULTS Participants in the intervention had greater increases in moderate and vigorous physical activity and walking compared to participants in a health education control condition . The proportion of participants that met the Healthy People 2010 recommendation for regular participation in either moderate or vigorous physical activity remained near 25 % at control sites during the study but increased to 51 % at intervention sites . During the last 6 weeks of the study , intervention participants exceeded 300 weekly minutes of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and 9000 daily pedometer steps . CONCLUSIONS The results support the feasibility and efficacy of the Move to Improve intervention and the role of goal - setting for attaining increased physical activity levels
target: Interventions integrating physical activity into organizational routine during everyday life have demonstrated modest but consistent benefits , particularly for physical activity , and these are promising avenues of investigation .
  The proportionately longer-term outcomes available in these studies compared with individual-level studies suggest that physical activity promotion strategies at the organizational level may be more sustainable
background: CONTEXT Recommended daily physical activity accumulated in short intervals ( e.g. , < 10 minutes ) may be more feasible and appealing to the relatively sedentary populace than longer bouts .
  The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of the evidence for the effectiveness of short activity bouts incorporated into organizational routine as part of the regular " conduct of business . "