Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates cardiovascular disease risk factor response in adolescents following introduction of brisk walking into curriculum lessons.
Design
Quasi-experimental.
Setting
School-based.
Subjects
An intervention group consisted of 115 (aged 12.4 ± 0.5 y) year eight participants, and 77 (aged 12.1 ± 1.1 y) year seven and year nine participants formed a control.
Intervention
An 18-week cross-curricular physical activity intervention was implemented in one secondary school.
Measures
Adiposity variables, blood pressure, lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, high-molecular-weight adiponectin, aerobic fitness, physical activity behavior, and diet were assessed preintervention and postintervention.
Analysis
Dependent and independent t-tests.
Results
Prevalence of elevated waist circumference (9.8% vs. 6.9%), systolic blood pressure (3.3% vs. 0%), triglycerides (2.5% vs. 1.2%), and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.7% vs. 2.7%) decreased in the intervention group. Significant improvements in high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio (mean ± SD: 2% ± 4% [confidence interval (CI)0.05 = 1% to 2%], t80 = −3.5, p = .001) and glucose (−.1 ± .4 mmol/L [CI0.05 = −.2% to 0%], t79 = 3.2, p = .002) were evident for the intervention group.
Conclusion
The Activity Knowledge Circuit may prove to be a sustainable, effective, and cost-effective strategy to engage schoolchildren in physical activity on a daily basis. A longer-duration intervention is required to fully understand risk factor response in adolescents.
This study investigates cardiovascular disease risk factor response in adolescents following introduction of brisk walking into curriculum lessons.
Design
Quasi-experimental.
Setting
School-based.
Subjects
An intervention group consisted of 115 (aged 12.4 ± 0.5 y) year eight participants, and 77 (aged 12.1 ± 1.1 y) year seven and year nine participants formed a control.
Intervention
An 18-week cross-curricular physical activity intervention was implemented in one secondary school.
Measures
Adiposity variables, blood pressure, lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, high-molecular-weight adiponectin, aerobic fitness, physical activity behavior, and diet were assessed preintervention and postintervention.
Analysis
Dependent and independent t-tests.
Results
Prevalence of elevated waist circumference (9.8% vs. 6.9%), systolic blood pressure (3.3% vs. 0%), triglycerides (2.5% vs. 1.2%), and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.7% vs. 2.7%) decreased in the intervention group. Significant improvements in high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio (mean ± SD: 2% ± 4% [confidence interval (CI)0.05 = 1% to 2%], t80 = −3.5, p = .001) and glucose (−.1 ± .4 mmol/L [CI0.05 = −.2% to 0%], t79 = 3.2, p = .002) were evident for the intervention group.
Conclusion
The Activity Knowledge Circuit may prove to be a sustainable, effective, and cost-effective strategy to engage schoolchildren in physical activity on a daily basis. A longer-duration intervention is required to fully understand risk factor response in adolescents.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 75-83 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | American Journal of Health Promotion |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2012 |
Keywords
- obesity
- exercise
- inflammation
- coronary heart disease
- insulin resistance
- prevention research
