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Cited by 52Physical Activity and HealthSchool Health and Nursing EducationObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

An intervention to improve the physical activity levels of children: Design and rationale of the ‘Active Classrooms’ cluster randomised controlled trial

Martin, Rosemarie, Murtagh, Elaine M.·2015·Contemporary Clinical Trials
DOI 10.1016/j.cct.2015.01.019
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Abstract

Background Recent evidence demonstrates that children are not engaging in the recommended 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Physical activity (PA) interventions have been acknowledged by the WHO (2010) as a key strategy to increase the PA levels of children. School has been recognised as a primary location for reaching the majority of children and providing PA opportunities for them. However, the sedentary nature of lessons carried out in the classroom has been identified as a contributing factor to physical inactivity among this age group. Purpose The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a classroom-based intervention which integrates PA and academic content, and evaluate its effects on the PA levels of children aged 8-11 in Ireland. Methods Active Classrooms is an 8-week classroom based intervention guided by the behaviour change wheel (BCW) framework (Michie et al. 2011) that will be evaluated using a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). Study measures will be taken at baseline, during the final week of the intervention and at follow-up after 4 months. The primary outcome is minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity during school time objectively assessed using accelerometers (Actigraph). Teachers' perceptions on the effectiveness and use of the intervention and students' enjoyment of the programme will be evaluated post intervention. Conclusions Changing teacher behaviour towards using physically active teaching methods may increase the moderate to vigorous physical activity levels of their students. Therefore, the results of this study may have important implications for the health of children both now and into the future. Trial registration ISRCTN14265493.

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  • Physical activity practice during school days increases moderate to vigorous physical activity levels, improves aerobic fitness, and has positive learning outcomes and consequently academic achievement.

    “Especially in children, physical activity practice during school days can be incorporated, and it increases moderate to vigorous physical activity levels (20) and improve aerobic fitness (4) and also has positive learning outcomes and consequently academic achievement (21).”

    From Does Learning Through Movement Improve Academic Performance in Primary Schoolchildren? A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [20]

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Authors
Martin, R., & Murtagh, E. M.
Affiliations
University of Limerick (IE)
Corresponding author
Martin, Rosemarie
ORCID
Murtagh, Elaine M.
Venue
Contemporary Clinical Trials
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-03
Volume
41
Pages
180-191
ISSN
1551-7144 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.cct.2015.01.019
OpenAlex
W2063978967
Cited by
52
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2
FWCI
3.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Contemporary Clinical Trials (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Mary Immaculate Research Repository (Mary Immaculate College) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
children's physical activity, classroom intervention, school-based physical activity promotion, Behaviour Change Wheel, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, children aged 8-11, intervention design
MeSH terms
Child, Female, Health Promotion, Humans, Male, Motor Activity, Psychological Theory, School Health Services, Teaching, Accelerometry

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