Cited by 98Physical Activity and HealthSchool Health and Nursing EducationSports and Physical Education Studies

Evaluating the effects of the lunchtime enjoyment activity and play (LEAP) school playground intervention on children’s quality of life, enjoyment and participation in physical activity

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Hyndman, Brendon P, Benson, Amanda C, Ullah, Shahid, Telford, Amanda·2014·BMC Public Health

Abstract

BACKGROUND: An emerging public health strategy is to enhance children's opportunities to be physically active during school break periods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Lunchtime Enjoyment Activity and Play (LEAP) school playground intervention on primary school children's quality of life (QOL), enjoyment and participation in physical activity (PA). METHODS: This study consisted of a movable/recycled materials intervention that included baseline, a 7-week post-test and an 8-month follow-up data collection phase. Children within an intervention school (n = 123) and a matched control school (n = 152) aged 5-to-12-years-old were recruited for the study. Children's PA was measured using a combination of pedometers and direct observation (SOPLAY). Quality of life, enjoyment of PA and enjoyment of lunchtime activities were assessed in the 8-12 year children. A multi-level mixed effect linear regression model was applied in STATA (version 12.0) using the xtmixed command to fit linear mixed models to each of the variables to examine whether there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the intervention and control school at the three time points (pre, post and follow-up). RESULTS: Significant overall interaction effects (group × time) were identified for children's mean steps and distance (pedometers) in the intervention school compared to the control school. Intervention school children also spent significantly higher proportions within specified target areas engaged in higher PA intensities in comparison to the control school at both the 7-week post-test and 8-month follow-up. A short-term treatment effect was revealed after 7-weeks for children's physical health scale QOL, enjoyment of PA and enjoyment of intra-personal play activities. CONCLUSIONS: Examining the effects of this school playground intervention over a school year suggested that the introduction of movable/recycled materials can have a significant, positive long-term intervention effect on children's PA. The implications from this simple, low-cost intervention provide impetus for schools to consider introducing the concept of a movable/recycled materials intervention on a wider scale within primary school settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registration Number: ACTRN12613001155785.

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Authors
Hyndman, B. P., Benson, A. C., Ullah, S., & Telford, A.
Affiliations
  • RMIT University (AU)
  • Flinders University (AU)
Corresponding author
Hyndman, Brendon P
Venue
BMC Public Health
Published
2014-02-14
Volume
14
Issue
1
Pages
164-164
ISSN
1471-2458 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2127744308
Cited by
96
References
103
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 3
FWCI
6.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • CDU eSpace Institutional Repository (Charles Darwin University) (submittedVersion)
  • Cross Connect (Southern Cross University) (submittedVersion)
  • Charles Sturt University Research Output (CRO) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Figshare (cc-by)
Funders
  • Australian Catholic University
  • RMIT University
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
  • Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
Keywords
children's physical activity, quality of life, enjoyment of physical activity, elementary school students, pedometer-measured steps, play activities
MeSH terms
Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Play and Playthings, Public Health, Quality of Life, School Health Services, Schools, Victoria, Exercise, Lunch

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