Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Classroom-based approaches are an evidence-based way to improve children’s physical activity; however, they are inconsistently implemented in schools. We developed MAGIC (Movement for Academic Growth In Classrooms), a multifaceted implementation strategy that consists of leadership training, teacher training, and a monthly newsletter to improve use of classroom-based physical activity approaches. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of MAGIC among elementary school teachers and leaders. Methods We used an embedded, convergent mixed methods design. We provided the MAGIC implementation strategy to a partner elementary school. We then administered surveys to teachers to quantitatively examine feasibility and acceptability. The surveys included questions about training attendance, receipt of newsletters, and acceptability based on a theoretical framework of acceptability. We used descriptive statistics to understand feasibility and acceptability trends. We also conducted semi-structured group and individual interviews with teachers and school leaders to understand perspectives about MAGIC components. We used rapid assessment procedures to analyze qualitative data, and multiple integration strategies, including joint displays, to compare quantitative and qualitative findings. Results A total of 35 teachers (kindergarten-5 th grade) completed study surveys and 27 teachers and school leaders participated in interviews. As an indicator of feasibility, all leaders attended leadership training sessions 1 ( n  = 13/13), 2 ( n  = 13/13), and 4 ( n  = 7/7); and 57% attended session 3 ( n  = 7/13); 93% ( n  = 28/30) of teachers attended training session 1, 90% ( n  = 27/20) attended session 2, and 87.5% ( n  = 21/24) attended session 3; and 67–75% of teachers received respective newsletters. The trainings and newsletters had high acceptability levels as indicated by survey results and interview data. Trainings included flexible scheduling integrated into existing meetings, which participants reported helped improve feasibility. Participants also highlighted the importance of incorporating classroom-based approaches into trainings and the simplicity of the newsletter, which contributed to their acceptability. Conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the feasibility and acceptability of the MAGIC implementation strategy among elementary school teachers and leaders. Future research should test MAGIC among more elementary schools to examine its impact on teacher implementation outcomes and students’ physical activity levels. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05048433, registered 9/8/2021, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05048433

The purpose of the current study was twofold: (1) to evaluate the strength and comprehensiveness of district wellness policies in one central Michigan intermediate school district (ISD; 16 districts), and (2) to pilot a novel policy alignment and enhancement process in one district within the ISD to improve sustainment of district-wide physical activity (PA) programming. Policy evaluation and alignment were determined using WellSAT 3.0. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework was used to guide a seven-step policy alignment and enhancement process. Initial evaluation of the PA policy for the ISD revealed a strength score of 19/100 (i.e., included weak and non-specific language) and 31/100 for comprehensiveness (i.e., mentioned few components of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program). For the pilot school district, initial strength scores were 19/100 and 38/100 for comprehensiveness (exploration). An alignment of the tailored PA policy with current practices resulted in a 100% increase in strength (score of 38/100), and 132% increase in comprehensiveness (score of 88/100; preparation). However, district administrators encountered barriers to adopting the tailored policy and subsequently integrated the PA requirements into their curriculum guide and school improvement plan (implementation and sustainment). Future research should examine the effectiveness of our EPIS-informed policy evaluation, alignment, and enhancement process to promote widespread increases in student PA.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding game design elements (goal setting, feedback, and external rewards) to an evidence-based physical activity intervention to increase in-class physical activity participation (intensity of activity breaks performed). Nine third- through sixth-grade classrooms (n = 292 students) in one elementary-middle school in Detroit, Michigan (49% female, 95% nonwhite; 80% qualified for free/reduced lunch) participated in this 20-week intervention where teachers implemented 5 × 4 min moderate-to-vigorous activity breaks per day. Gamification of activity breaks occurred during weeks 13–20 of the intervention and included the use of game design elements and classroom goals for activity break intensity. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during activity breaks was measured via direct observation. There was a significant effect of intervention with a 27% increase in student MVPA participation during the gamified intervention weeks compared with the standard intervention weeks (p = 0.03). Gamification of activity breaks resulted in 55% (compared with 25% during the standard intervention) of students accumulating approximately 20 min of health-enhancing physical activity per day in their classroom. These findings provide preliminary evidence that gamifying activity breaks may be an important strategy for increasing student participation in classroom activity breaks.

Adolescence represents a sensitive period whereby lifestyle factors such as physical activity can have profound, long-lasting effects on development and later life habits. However, adolescence constitutes a period of frequent sedentary behaviour. Among children, integrating physical activity into elementary school classrooms has been shown to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve academic achievement and overall physical and mental health. However, this promising area of research has not extended to adolescents and high school classrooms. In this paper, we describe the benefits of conducting research on the impact of physically active high school classrooms, and highlight the challenges and potential misconceptions associated with research in this field. Specifically, we review research on the role of physical activity in adolescent development, the benefits of classroom-based physical activity for children, and discuss the factors that may have led researchers to focus on classroom-based physical activity primarily for children, despite the potentially similar benefits for adolescents.

Children with asthma often experience physical activity (PA) induced symptoms 5–15 min following the start of exercise. Classroom PA breaks provide short intermittent bouts of PA and may represent a novel strategy to safely promote PA participation in this clinical population. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a classroom-based PA intervention, Interrupting Prolonged Sitting with Activity (InPACT), where teachers implement 5 × 4-min moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) breaks throughout the school day. Nine classrooms at one elementary-middle school in Detroit, MI (student demographics: 79% Hispanic; 80% on free/reduced lunch; 31% prevalence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms) participated in this 20-week intervention. Asthma status was self-reported via the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Video Questionnaire in conjunction with nurse documentation. PA participation, exercise intensity, and asthmatic symptom occurrence were assessed via direct observation. Students accumulated approximately 17 min of activity per day during PA breaks. Compared to students without asthma, a higher percentage of students with asthma participated in MVPA (asthma: 52.9% ± 1.2%; non-asthma: 46.2% ± 0.8%; p = 0.01), a lower percentage participated in light PA (asthma: 25.9% ± 1.0%; non-asthma: 30.1% ± 0.7%; p = 0.01), and sedentary time during activity breaks (asthma: 21.2% ± 0.9%; non-asthma: 23.8% ± 0.7%; p = 0.02). Out of 294 observations, six instances of asthmatic symptoms (coughing) were observed in students with asthma 5–15 min following the PA break. Symptoms self-resolved within 15-min of the PA break and did not result in sustained exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Classroom-based interventions that incorporate short intermittent bouts of PA represent safe exercises for children with asthma and may help to reduce PA disparities in this clinical population.

Movement integration (MI) – infusing physical activity (PA) during normal classroom time – is an evidence-based strategy to simultaneously support children’s academic performance and overall healthy development. However, little research has investigated why some teachers integrate movement more than others. This study examined high- and low-movement integrating teachers’ PA promotion attitudes and perceived competence. Elementary classroom teachers (N = 128) completed an online survey. High- integrating teachers reported more positive attitudes and higher competence than low- integrating teachers. Preservice preparation, continuing professional development and interventions that foster classroom teachers’ positive attitudes and perceived competence related to MI may leverage schoolwide PA promotion. Movement integration (MI) – infusing physical activity (PA) during normal classroom time – is an evidence-based strategy to simultaneously support children’s academic performance and overall healthy development. However, little research has investigated why some teachers integrate movement more than others. This study examined high- and low-movement integrating teachers’ PA promotion attitudes and perceived competence. Elementary classroom teachers (N = 128) completed an online survey. High- integrating teachers reported more positive attitudes and higher competence than low- integrating teachers. Preservice preparation, continuing professional development and interventions that foster classroom teachers’ positive attitudes and perceived competence related to MI may leverage schoolwide PA promotion.

Background Although physical activity (PA) integrated in schools’ classrooms have shown a positive effect on children’s behaviors, its effectiveness on cognitive functions, PA levels and other health variables remains unclear. This article outlines the rationale and methods of two classroom-based PA interventions (MOVI-da10!) on improving adiposity, executive function and motor competence in preschool children. Methods A three-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) was carried out including eight schools (rural and urban areas) from Cuenca province, Spain. The schools were allocated to one of three groups: MOVI-da10-Enriched! intervention ( n  = 3), MOVI-da10-Standard! intervention, ( n  = 2), and the control group (n = 3). Around 900 children aged 4 to 6 years old were assesed at baseline (September 2017) and at the end (June 2018) of the intervention. The primary outcomes were changes in body fat by bioimpedance, executive function and motor competence. During a school year (from October 2017 to May 2018), children belonging to the MOVI-da10-Enriched! group performed enriched PA integrated into the academic curriculum including two active breaks lasting 10 min, 5 days/week. The children belonging to the MOVI-da10-Standard! group performed PA breaks (with low cognitive demand, where curricular contents were not reinforced) including two active breaks lasting 10 min, 5 days/week. In the control group, regular PA continued. Discussion To our knowledge, MOVI-da10! is the first RCT to examine the effectiveness of two programs (enriched PA integrated into the academic curriculum and PA breaks only) versus a control group on improving adiposity, executive function and motor competence in preschool children. Trial registration NCT03236363 (clinicaltrials.gov), 31st July 2017.

(1) Background: Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) engage in significantly less physical activity than their peers. While ample research has shown the beneficial effect of physical activity on ADHD management, we have little to no knowledge of how children with ADHD experience physical activity, which may ultimately undermine the utility of prescribed physical activity programming. This study compared experiences and perspectives of physical activity in school and non-school settings, between children with and without ADHD. (2) Methods: In this study, 23 children with ADHD and 24 children without ADHD participated in semi-structured interviews, sharing their views on physical activity in school and non-school settings. (3) Results: Inductive content analysis revealed that, compared to children without ADHD, children with ADHD reported lower physical activity levels, more often emphasized the benefits of movement for improving mood and focus during learning, viewed classroom-based desk cycling as a helpful tool to focus their attention, and expressed a desire to use desk cycling during classroom learning. (4) Conclusions: This study emphasizes key differences in the physical activity experiences and preferences between children with and without ADHD; it also offers insight into how classroom learning may be enhanced by offering optional physical activity outlets for children who identify as benefiting from movement during learning.

This study explored whether Year 1 school children exposed to a 12-week classroom-based gross motor program progressed differently than Year 1 children undertaking their regular school program in motor proficiency, mathematics, and reading outcomes. Fifty-five Australian Year 1 school children (25 boys, 30 girls, mean age 6.77 ± 0.40 years) were exposed to either (i) their normal school program (Class N) or (ii) a 12-week program comprised of gross motor circuits and physically active: a) reading lessons (Class R) or b) mathematics lessons (Class M). Motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading were assessed using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (2nd Edition) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test—2nd Edition—Australian Standardised Edition, respectively. Differences in outcomes between classes following the 12-week program were assessed. Mean change scores for the mathematics composite were significantly greater for participants in Class R (9.61 ± 5.62, p = .001) and Class M (7.57 ± 5.79, p = .019) than for participants in Class N (0.76 ± 8.00). Mean change scores for reading (11.54 ± 7.51, p = .017) and total motor composites (6.12 ± 5.07, p = .034) were also significantly greater for participants in Class M than Class N (4.47 ± 3.50 and 0.82 ± 4.38 respectively). A 12-week classroom-based gross motor program may be beneficial for motor skill development and learning in Year 1 school children. This pilot evaluation may usefully inform future experimental studies to further investigate whether classroom-based motor skill programs have a beneficial effect on motor proficiency and academic outcomes in children in the early years of primary school.

Basic biology supports the link between physical activity and learning. Oxygen is vital for brain functioning and the improved blood flow increases the amount of oxygen carried to the brain. Physical activity is an excellent way to increase blood flow, therefore oxygen to the brain. Children and adolescents spend the majority of their day in school settings. Physical activity guidelines for Americans suggest that children and adolescents get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily for overall health benefits. Schools have the potential to provide children with opportunities to engage in physical activity throughout the day. The purpose of this qualitative research using an exploratory case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of the effects of integrating physical activity into the classroom curriculum. The population for this study included first and sixth-grade core curriculum teachers from local urban elementary/middle schools. A purposive sampling technique was utilized. The data collection process included an invitation email that was sent out to targeted first- and sixth-grade core curricula teachers (English, reading, math, science, and social studies). After consent to participate in the study, a survey was sent via email. The survey questions were pulled from the validated Movement Survey. After completion of the survey, an invite to the semi-structured interview was scheduled. Results of the study revealed that teachers believe that there are definite benefits to integrating physical activity into the classroom, but often have issues in implementing. Further research would benefit from replicating this one, however, using different sampling methods so that teachers from different demographics, and different socioeconomic status, as well as teachers who had different experiences of the integration of physical activity in the classroom, could participate in the study.