'Jump start' childcare-based intervention to promote physical activity in pre-schoolers: six-month findings from a cluster randomised trial

Authors

Anthony D. Okely, University of WollongongFollow
Rebecca M. Stanley, University of WollongongFollow
Rachel A. Jones, University of WollongongFollow
Dylan P. Cliff, University of WollongongFollow
Stewart Trost
Donna Berthelsen
Jo Salmon
Marijka Batterham, University of WollongongFollow
Simon Eckermann, University of WollongongFollow
John Reilly
Ngiare J. Brown, University of WollongongFollow
Karen J. Mickle, University of WollongongFollow
Steven J. Howard, University of WollongongFollow
Trina Hinkley
Xanne Janssen
Paul A. Chandler, University of WollongongFollow
Penny L. Cross, University of WollongongFollow
Fay L. Gowers, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

141266

Publication Details

Okely, A., Stanley, R., Jones, R., Cliff, D., Trost, S., Berthelsen, D., Salmon, J., Batterham, M., Eckermann, S., Reilly, J., Brown, N., Mickle, K., Howard, S., Hinkley, T., Janssen, X., Chandler, P., Cross, P. & Gowers, F. (2020). 'Jump start' childcare-based intervention to promote physical activity in pre-schoolers: six-month findings from a cluster randomised trial. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 17 (1), 6-1-6-11.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Participation in adequate levels of physical activity during the early years is important for health and development. We report the 6-month effects of an 18-month multicomponent intervention on physical activity in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in low-income communities. METHODS: A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in 43 ECEC settings in disadvantaged areas of New South Wales, Australia. Three-year-old children were recruited and assessed in the first half of 2015 with follow-up 6 months later. The intervention was guided by Social Cognitive Theory and included five components. The primary outcome was minutes per hour in total physical activity during ECEC hours measured using Actigraph accelerometers. Intention-to-treat analysis of the primary outcome was conducted using a generalized linear mixed model. RESULTS: A total of 658 children were assessed at baseline. Of these, 558 (85%) had valid accelerometer data (mean age 3.38y, 52% boys) and 508 (77%) had valid accelerometry data at 6-month follow-up. Implementation of the intervention components ranged from 38 to 72%. There were no significant intervention effects on mins/hr. spent in physical activity (adjusted difference = - 0.17 mins/hr., 95% CI (- 1.30 to 0.97), p = 0.78). A priori sub-group analyses showed a greater effect among overweight/obese children in the control group compared with the intervention group for mins/hr. of physical activity (2.35mins/hr., [0.28 to 4.43], p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: After six-months the Jump Start intervention had no effect on physical activity levels during ECEC. This was largely due to low levels of implementation. Increasing fidelity may result in higher levels of physical activity when outcomes are assessed at 18-months.