Obesity, Physical Fitness, Cognitive Function 1, Social
Conditions
Keywords
Physical Fitness, Body Composition, Executive Cognitive Function
Brief summary
Despite recommends that school-based interventions use a comprehensive approach for health promotions; most fitness programs exclusively emphasize physical activity. This study compared the comprehensive Translational Health in Nutrition and Kinesiology (THINK) program to a traditional YMCA program (The Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) fitness curriculum) on measures of physical fitness, body composition, and executive cognitive function outcomes among 105 ethnic minority children (9±1.03 years old) following a 10-week intervention period.
Detailed description
Despite recommendations that school-based interventions use a comprehensive approaches for health promotions; most fitness programs exclusively emphasize physical activity. This study compared the comprehensive Translational Health in Nutrition and Kinesiology (THINK) program to a traditional YMCA program (The Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) fitness curriculum) on measures of physical fitness, body composition, and executive cognitive function outcomes among 105 predominantly, ethnic minority children (9±1.03 years old) following a 10week intervention period.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALTHINK
The THINK curriculum was based on the principles of exercise physiology and health behaviors. Sessions included educational components, concentrating on physiology, nutrition, laboratory experiences, and structured physical fitness activities.
BEHAVIORALSPARK
traditional YMCA program
Sponsors
University of Tennessee
University of Miami
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* To be eligible for this study, subjects had to be between the ages of eight and 12, enrolled in a YMCA program, and able to participate in physical activity. Parents were provided with information packets regarding project details, a parental consent form, and a child assent form. Once the subjects assented and parents consented, a health questionnaire regarding child's age, gender, race/ethnicity, health history and SES was completed.
Exclusion criteria
* Subjects with metabolic, cardiovascular, neuromuscular and psychological disorders and with medications that would interfere with testing results were excluded from the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Aerobic Fitness | Baseline and 10 Weeks | The National Institute of Medicine Toolbox two-minute Walk Endurance Test was used to measure aerobic fitness |
| Change in Grip Strength | Baseline and 10 Weeks | Grip strength was measures using a Jamar plus handgrip dynamometer. |
| Change in Abdominal Strength | Baseline and 10 Weeks | The one-minute curl-up test was used to measure abdominal strength and endurance. |
| Change in Lower Body Strength | Baseline and 10 Weeks | Lower body strength, specifically for the quadriceps muscle group, was assessed with the wall squat test. A vertical jump test utilizing a Vertec. was used to assess lower body power . The vertical jump test data were used to estimate average power (W) according to the Lewis formula Average Power (W) = √4.9 x mass (kg) x √VJ (m) x 9.81. |
| Change in Percent Body Fat | Baseline and 10 Weeks | Body composition and body fat was measured using the Inbody-520 multi-frequency bioimpedance analyzer. |
| Change in BMIz | Baseline and 10 Weeks | A CDC growth chart statistical resource was used to calculate BMIz using height, weight, age, and gender. |
| Change in Visceral Abdominal Fat | Baseline and 10 Weeks | The Saggital Abdominal Height was used as estimate of visceral abdominal fat using a portable anthropometer. |
| Change in Waist circumference | Baseline and 10 Weeks | Waist circumference was used to measure central adiposity with a Gulick body tape measure. |
Outcome results
None listed