Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Jordanstown, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, UK.
School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2019 Apr 16;17(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s12955-019-1133-x.
School-based interventions offer the opportunity to increase physical activity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and nutritional behaviours, yet methodological limitations hinder current research, particularly among under-represented children from low socio-economic status (SES). The aim was to determine the effect of a 12-week physical activity programme, Sport for LIFE: All Island (SFL:AI), on physical activity levels, HRQOL, and nutritional attitudes and behaviours in children of low SES across the island of Ireland.
A 2 (groups) × 4 (data collection points) clustered randomised controlled trial was conducted comprising an intervention group who received SFL:AI for 12 weeks, and a waiting-list control condition. In total 740 children (381 boys, 359 girls) aged 8-9 years (mean = 8.7; SD = .50) from 27 schools across four regions of Ireland (Ulster, Leinster, Connacht and Munster) took part. Physical activity was measured by accelerometers, and children completed a validated questionnaire at baseline, mid (i.e. 6-weeks), post-intervention (i.e. 12 weeks) and follow-up (i.e. 3 months post-intervention).
No significant interaction effects for the intervention were found on any of the study outcomes. Main effects were reported for physical well-being, parental relations and autonomy and financial resources, as well as sweetened beverages, environment and intake, and attitude to vegetables. However, these changes were not statistically attributable to the intervention.
It remains unclear if school-based physical activity interventions can improve HRQOL through physical activity with children from low SES. Logistical and methodological considerations are outlined to explore the null effect of the programme, and to provide suggestions for future research and practice.
Trial registration number: ISRCTN76261698 . Name of registry: ICRCTN. Date of registration: 23/08/2017. Date of enrolment: September 2014.
以学校为基础的干预措施为增加身体活动、与健康相关的生活质量（HRQOL）和营养行为提供了机会，但方法学上的限制阻碍了当前的研究，尤其是在来自社会经济地位较低（SES）的代表性不足的儿童中。本研究旨在确定为期 12 周的体育活动计划 Sport for LIFE: All Island (SFL:AI) 对爱尔兰岛 SES 较低的儿童的身体活动水平、HRQOL 以及营养态度和行为的影响。
进行了一项 2 (组) × 4 (数据收集点) 聚类随机对照试验，包括接受 SFL:AI 12 周的干预组和等待名单对照组。共有来自爱尔兰四个地区（阿尔斯特、伦斯特、康诺特和芒斯特）的 27 所学校的 740 名 8-9 岁儿童（平均年龄 8.7；标准差=.50）参与了这项研究。身体活动通过加速度计进行测量，儿童在基线、中期（即 6 周）、干预后（即 12 周）和随访（即干预后 3 个月）时完成了一份经过验证的问卷。
研究结果未发现干预对任何研究结果有显著的交互作用。主要影响因素包括身体幸福感、父母关系和自主性、财务资源，以及含糖饮料、环境和摄入量以及对蔬菜的态度。然而，这些变化在统计学上与干预无关。
目前尚不清楚以学校为基础的体育活动干预是否可以通过身体活动来提高 SES 较低的儿童的 HRQOL。本文概述了逻辑和方法上的考虑因素，以探讨该计划的无效性，并为未来的研究和实践提供建议。
试验注册号：ISRCTN76261698。注册机构名称：ICRCTN。注册日期：2017 年 8 月 23 日。登记日期：2014 年 9 月。
