The Fit 4 Fun Program: A curriculum-based approach to promoting health-related fitness in primary school children

Poster Abstracts P33 The Fit 4 Fun Program: A curriculum-based approach to promoting health-related fitness in primary school children Alison Eather, Philip Morgan School of Education, University of Newcastle, Australia Introduction: Childhood physical fitness is associated with many health benefits for children and is predictive of an adult’s health-risk profile. Research suggests that the physical fitness levels of Australian children have rapidly declined in the past two decades and the evidence base for efficacious interventions is limited. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of the Fit 4 Fun Program in improving the health-related fitness (HRF) levels and behaviours of Stage 3 primary school students. Methods: The study design is a group randomised controlled trial with a wait-list control group involving 2 primary schools in the Hunter Region, NSW with 12-week follow-up. The Fit 4 Fun Program is a multi-faceted school-based intervention that targets physical fitness in the curriculum, the school environment and in the home. It is a comprehensive 8-week unit of work developed and based on the NSW Board of Studies K-6 PDHPE Syllabus content and outcomes for stage 3 and promotes student participation in weekly Health and Physical Education lessons, integration activities with other subjects, fitness-based activities at lunch and recess, and interactive home and family fitness activities after school. Students and teachers will complete a questionnaire to determine their perceptions of physical fitness education and physical fitness testing and its value in the primary school PDHPE curriculum. At baseline and follow-up students will complete a battery of health-related fitness tests including? The 20 m shuttle test, basketball throw test, push-up test, single leg wall squat, 7-stage sit-up test, shoulder stretch test, sit and reach flexibility test, height, weight and a 5-day physical activity assessment using pedometry. Students, parents and teachers will also be involved in a process evaluation aimed at examining their perceptions of the value and success of the program using both surveys and semi-structured focus group interviews. Data relating to screening, recruitment, retention, implementation, attendance and adherence to the program will be reported. Intervention effects will be reported including changes to HRF levels, physical fitness behaviours and attitudes to physical fitness and fitness assessments. The feasibility of

S17 the Fit 4 Fun program will be discussed and recommendations for school policy and practice will be elucidated. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2010.09.033 P35 Promoting movement skill development and physical activity in early childhood settings: A pilot randomised controlled trial Annaleise Riethmuller ∗ , Rachel A. Jones, Anthony D. Okley, Kylie Hesketh, Jillian Trezise, Marijka Batterham Interdisciplinary Educational Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, 2500 NSW, Australia The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of a motor skill program for preschool children. A 20-week, 2-arm parallel cluster randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted in two childcare centres in the Illawarra region of NSW (Australia). Centres were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention comprised structured and unstructured lessons (20 min, 3 per week) for children and professional development for staff (4 × 30 min). Primary outcomes were motor development and objectively measured physical activity. Recruitment and retention goals were surpassed. The intervention was delivered as planned and key stakeholders found the program highly acceptable. At follow-up, compared with children in the control group, children in the intervention group showed greater improvements in motor skill proficiency in all five skills tested, with this improvement significant for overall motor development (adjust diff. = 2.08, 95% CI 0.76, 3.40). doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2010.09.034