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Preventing Obesity Among Adolescent Girls: One-Year Outcomes Of The Nutrition And Enjoyable Activity For Teen Girls (Neat Girls) Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, David R. Lubans, Philip J. Morgan, Anthony D. Okely, Deborah Dewar, Clare E. Collins, Marijka Batterham, Robin Callister, Ronald C. Plotnikoff

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a 12-month multicomponent school-based obesity prevention program, Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls among adolescent girls. Design: Group randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up. Setting: Twelve secondary schools in low-income communities in the Hunter and Central Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Three hundred fifty-seven adolescent girls aged 12 to 14 years. Intervention: A multicomponent school-based intervention program tailored for adolescent girls. The intervention was based on social cognitive theory and included teacher professional development, enhanced school sport sessions, interactive seminars, nutrition workshops, lunch-time physical activity sessions, handbooks and pedometers for …

A School-Based Intervention To Promote Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls: Rationale, Design, And Baseline Data From The Girls In Sport Group Randomised Controlled Trial, Anthony D. Okely, Wayne G. Cotton, David R. Lubans, Philip J. Morgan, Lauren M. Puglisi, Judy Miller, Jan Wright, Marijka Batterham, Louisa Peralta, Janine Perry

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Background: Physical activity levels decline markedly among girls during adolescence. School-based interventions that are multi-component in nature, simultaneously targeting curricular, school environment and policy, and community links, are a promising approach for promoting physical activity. This report describes the rationale, design and baseline data from the Girls in Sport group randomised trial, which aims to prevent the decline in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) among adolescent girls. Methods/design: A community-based participatory research approach and action learning framework are used with measurements at baseline and 18-month follow-up. Within each intervention school, a committee develops an action plan aimed at meeting the …

Relationships Between Personal Biography And Changes In Preservice Classroom Teachers' Physical Activity Promotion Competence And Attitude, Collin A. Webster

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Personal biography influences preservice classroom teachers’ (PCT) perceptions and attitudes related to school-based physical activity promotion (SPAP). Using an uncontrolled prepost design, this study investigated associations between biographical variables and changes in PCTs’ SPAP attitudes and perceived competence while enrolled in a 16-week SPAP course. PCTs (N = 201) completed baseline measures assessing biographical variables of year in school, sports participation, coaching/teaching experience, BMI, satisfaction with K-12 physical education (PE) and perceived physical activity (PA) competence, and prepost measures assessing SPAP attitudes and perceived competence. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance procedures showed statistically significant, positive changes in PCTs’ scores …

Interactive Whiteboards: Interactivity, Activity And Literacy Teaching, Lisa K. Kervin, Irina Verenikina, Kris Wrona, Pauline T. Jones

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This paper explores the implementation and the use of the Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) in literacy teaching in an Australian primary school. A socio-cultural approach (Vygotsky, 1978) and Activity Theory (Engestrom, 2001) are used to explore the integration of the IWB in the literacy classroom environment where the individual, classroom and the whole school contexts are considered. A socio- cultural conceptualisation of technology allows us to view the IWB as a tool that can be used to enhance teachers’ pedagogical practices. The paper is based on a case study in an independent primary school located in a South - Western suburb …

The Nutrition And Enjoyable Activity For Teen Girls (Neat Girls) Randomized Controlled Trial For Adolescent Girls From Disadvantaged Secondary Schools: Rationale, Study Protocol And Baseline Results, David R. Lubans, Philip J. Morgan, Deborah Dewar, Clare E. Collins, Ronald C. Plotnikoff, Anthony D. Okely, Marijka Batterham, Tara Finn, Robin Callister

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Background: Child and adolescent obesity predisposes individuals to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from a range of lifestyle diseases. Although there is some evidence to suggest that rates of pediatric obesity have leveled off in recent years, this has not been the case among youth from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The purpose of this paper is to report the rationale, study design and baseline findings of a school-based obesity prevention program for low-active adolescent girls from disadvantaged secondary schools.

Methods/Design: The Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) intervention will be evaluated using a group randomized controlled …

The Role Of Biographical Characteristics In Preservice Classroom Teachers' School Physical Activity Promotion Attitudes, Collin Webster, Eva Monsma, Heather Erwin

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Recommendations for increasing children’s daily physical activity (PA) call on classroom teachers to assume an activist role at school. This study examined relationships among preservice classroom teachers’ (PCT; n = 247) biographical characteristics, perceptions and attitudes regarding school PA promotion (SPAP). Results indicated participants who completed SPAP-related college coursework and had PA-related teaching/coaching experiences reported higher SPAP competence. Significant relationships were found among BMI, personal PA competence and SPAP competence in the contexts of PE and extracurricular settings. Personal PA competence and SPAP competence at recess and in the classroom predicted 19% of the variance in SPAP attitudes. Experiences in …

Young People, Physical Activity And The Everyday: The Life Activity Project, Jan Wright, Doune Macdonald

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

I want to achieve a lot with my career and work wise so I know I have to put in the hours but then I feel like I’m missing out on the rest; like the social life, you know, just going for a bike ride, taking the kayak out, motorbike. And when you do think, alright, I’ve got the time to do it you are just so worn out that you just don’t want to do it. It’s too much effort. So you just feel tired all the time.

The Impact Of Child And Adolescent Obesity Treatment Interventions On Physical Activity: A Systematic Review, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Philip Morgan, Rachel A. Jones, Julie R. Steele

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Efforts to treat obesity in childhood and adolescence would benefit from a greater understanding of evidence-based strategies to modify physical activity behaviour. A systematic review was conducted to examine the impact of child and adolescent obesity treatment interventions on physical activity. Studies included were randomized controlled trials or controlled trials, with overweight and obese youth (aged < 18 years), which reported statistical analysis of free-living physical activity at pretreatment and post-treatment. Two independent reviewers assessed each study for methodological quality. Seventeen child and three adolescent studies were retrieved, half of which were conducted in the USA. Studies were characterized by small samples of limited cultural and economic diversity. Fifteen studies reported an increase in at least one physical activity outcome at post-test or follow-up. Overall, study quality was rated as low (child median score = 3/10, range = 0–9; adolescent median score = 3/10, range = 2–5) with three child studies classified as high quality (6/10). Research evaluating the effect of child and adolescent obesity treatment trials on physical activity is limited in both quantity and quality. Studies testing innovative, theoretically driven treatment approaches that use robust methodologies are required to better understand generalizable approaches for promoting physical activity participation among obese youth.

Building Community Partnerships To Enhance Participation In Sport And Physical Activity: Tertiary Institutions And Community Sporting Associations, Philip J. Pearson, Paul I. Webb, Kim Mckeen

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Tertiary institutions are an excellent resource that can be accessed in order to assist the development of many sporting programs. The following are examples of the links that have been established between a number of community sporting associations interested in the promotion of physical activity, games and sport and a university located in NSW, Australia.

Building Community Partnerships To Enhance Participation In Sport And Physical Activity: Tertiary Institutions And Primary Schools, Kim Mckeen, Paul I. Webb, Philip J. Pearson

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Decreasing levels of physical activity and increasing obesity levels amongst Australian children have received much attention in recent years, with research finding that the prevalence of overweight Australian children and adolescents, almost doubled during the ten year period from 1985-1995. Schools have been identified as one community setting that has the potential to address concerns regarding child physical activity and obesity levels by providing an environment which promotes lifelong physical activity, through both structured and unstructured programs.

Relationships Between Fundamental Movement Skills And Objectively Measured Physical Activity In Pre-School Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, Lief Smith, Kim Mckeen

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Gender differences in cross-sectional relationships between fundamental movement skill (FMS) subdomains (locomotor skills, object-control skills) and physical activity were examined in preschool children. Forty-six 3- to 5-year-olds (25 boys) had their FMS video assessed (Test of Gross Motor Development II) and their physical activity objectively monitored (Actigraph 7164 accelerometers). Among boys, object-control skills were associated with physical activity and explained 16.9% (p = .024) and 13.7% (p = .049) of the variance in percent of time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total physical activity, respectively, after controlling for age, SES and z-BMI. Locomotor skills were inversely associated with physical …

Feasibility Of An Activity Protocol For Young Children In A Whole Room Indirect Calorimeter: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Anouk Oortwijn, Guy Plasqui, John J. Reilly, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a structured activity protocol in a room calorimeter among young children. METHODS: Five healthy children (age 5.2 +/- 0.4 y) performed an activity protocol in a room calorimeter, ranging from sedentary to vigorous-intensity activities. Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from continuous measurements of O2-consumption and CO2-production using Weir's formula. Resting EE was defined as EE during the first 30 min of the study where participants were seated while watching television. The children wore an ActiGraph accelerometer on the right and left hip. RESULTS: The protocol was well …

Building Community Partnerships To Enhance Participation In Sport And Physical Activity: Coach Education In Tertiary Institutions, Paul I. Webb, Philip J. Pearson, Kim Mckeen

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Since 1979 the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme has been established in Australia firstly under the Australian Coaching Council and more recently as a program of the Australian Sports Commission. The vision of the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme is "that all Australian sporting participants, irrespective of their age, gender, level of sporting ability or choice of sport, have access to highly qualified and experienced coaches," (Australian Sports Commisison,2000).

Relationships Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity, Movement Competency And Psychosocial Outcomes In Overweight And Obese Children, Dylan P. Cliff, Anthony D. Okely, P Morgan, Julie R. Steele, Rachel A. Jones

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

This study examined cross-sectional associations between physical activity and the psychosocial outcomes of self-esteem and health related quality of life (HRQoL), and fundamental movement skills (FMS) and psychosocial outcomes in overweight/obese children. Measures were collected from 165 overweight/obese children aged 5-9y (mean age = 8.2 + 1.1; mean BMI-z = 2.81 + 0.71, 41% boys) as part of the Hunter and Illawarra Kids Challenge Using Parent Support (HIKCUPS) RCT. Baseline data, split by gender, were used to explore relationships between activity/FMS variables and psychosocial outcomes for boys and girls separately. Measures included objectively measured physical activity (Actigraph 7164 accelerometer), video-assessed …

The Hikcups Trial: A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Combined Physical Activity Skill-Development And Dietary Modification Program In Overweight And Obese Children, Rachel A. Jones, Anthony D. Okely, Clare E. Collins, Philip J. Morgan, Julie R. Steele, Janet M. Warren, Louise A. Baur, Dylan P. Cliff, Tracy Burrows, Jane Cleary

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is one of the most pressing health issues of our time. Key health organizations have recommended research be conducted on the effectiveness of well-designed interventions to combat childhood obesity that can be translated into a variety of settings. This paper describes the design and methods used in the Hunter Illawarra Kids Challenge Using Parent Support (HIKCUPS) trial, an ongoing multi-site randomized controlled trial, in overweight/obese children comparing the efficacy of three interventions: 1) a parent-centered dietary modification program; 2) a child-centered physical activity skill-development program; and 3) a program combining both 1 and 2 above. METHODS/DESIGN: Each …

Promoting Physical Activity Through Teaching Games For Understanding In Undergraduate Teacher Education, Kim Mckeen, Paul I. Webb, Philip J. Pearson

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Physical education teachers play a significant role in influencing the likelihood that their students will engage in lifelong physical activity. However, with declining physical activity levels, particularly amongst young people, and the increased prevalence of obese and overweight children and adolescents, promoting lifelong physical activity is one of the many challenges currently facing physical education teachers. Teachers are required to engage students in quality learning opportunities to develop prescribed learning outcomes and skills, and make the experience enjoyable to enthuse young people to be physically active. This study examines whether teaching games for understanding (TGfU) and technique based pedagogy models …

Designing And Researching A Youth Development Model For Physical Activity Participation, Jan Wright, Stuart Woodcock, Jeanette Webb

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

The project to be described in this paper was originally conceived in the context of research that points to depression as a major factor influencing the health and well-being of young women (Biddle 1995; Yarcheski 2001) and other research that suggests a relationship between participation in physical activity and improvements in the protective factors associated with depression.

Nsw Schools Fitness And Physical Activity Survey, Michael Booth, P Macaskill, L Mclellan, P Phongsavan, Anthony D. Okely, John W. Patterson, Jan Wright, Adrian Bauman, Louise Baur

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.