Behavioural Medicine Laboratory, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada.
School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 27;24(1):2605. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20024-8.
Regular engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during childhood yields a myriad of health benefits, and contributes to sustained MVPA behaviors into adulthood. Given the influence of parents on shaping their child's MVPA behaviour, the family system represents a viable target for intervention. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of two intervention conditions designed to increase child MVPA: (1) A standard education + planning intervention providing information about benefits, action planning, and coping planning; and (2) An augmented physical activity education + planning intervention that includes the components of the standard intervention, as well as a focus on family identity promotion and developing as an active member of the family.
A two-arm parallel single-blinded randomized trial will compare the two conditions over 6 months. Eligible families have at least one child aged 6-12 years who is not meeting the physical activity recommendations within the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (i.e.,<60 min/day of MVPA). Intervention materials targeting family identity promotion will be delivered online via zoom following baseline assessment, with booster sessions at 6-weeks and 3-months. Child MVPA will be measured by wGT3X-BT Actigraph accelerometry at baseline, 6-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months as the primary outcome. At these same time points, parent cognition (e.g., attitudes, perceived control, behavioral regulation, habit, identity) and support behaviours, and parent-child co-activity will be assessed via questionnaire as secondary outcomes. Child-health fitness measures will be also administered through fitness testing at baseline and 6-months as secondary outcomes. Finally, upon completion of the trial's 6-month measures, a follow-up end-of-trial interview will be conducted with parents to examine parents' experiences with the intervention.
So far, 30 families have been enrolled from the Southern Vancouver Island and Vancouver Lower Mainland area. Recruitment will be continuing through 2026 with a target of 148 families.
This study will contribute to the understanding of effective strategies to increase child physical activity by comparing two intervention approaches. Both provide parents with education on physical activity benefits, action planning, and coping planning supports. However, one intervention also incorporates components focused on promoting an active family identity and involving all family members in physical activity together. The findings from this study have the potential to inform the design and implementation of public health initiatives aimed at improving physical activity participation in children and guide the development of more effective interventions that leverage the crucial role of parents and the family system in shaping children's physical activity behaviors.
The clinical trial registration ID is NCT05794789. This trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov on March 2nd, 2023, with the last updated release on September 28th, 2023.
儿童时期定期进行中等到剧烈的身体活动（MVPA）会带来诸多健康益处，并有助于成年后持续进行 MVPA 行为。鉴于父母对塑造孩子 MVPA 行为的影响，家庭系统是干预的可行目标。本研究旨在比较两种旨在增加儿童 MVPA 的干预措施的效果：（1） 标准教育+计划干预，提供有关益处、行动计划和应对计划的信息；（2） 增强的体育教育+计划干预，包括标准干预的组成部分，以及专注于家庭身份的提升和作为家庭积极成员的发展。
一项为期 6 个月的双臂平行单盲随机试验将比较两种条件。合格的家庭至少有一个 6-12 岁的孩子不符合加拿大 24 小时运动指南中的体力活动建议（即<60 分钟/天的 MVPA）。针对家庭身份提升的干预材料将在基线评估后通过 zoom 在线提供，在 6 周和 3 个月时进行强化课程。儿童 MVPA 将通过 wGT3X-BT Actigraph 加速度计在基线、6 周、3 个月和 6 个月时进行测量，作为主要结果。在相同的时间点，通过问卷评估父母的认知（例如，态度、感知控制、行为调节、习惯、身份）和支持行为，以及父母-子女共同活动作为次要结果。还将通过体能测试在基线和 6 个月时进行儿童健康体能测试作为次要结果。最后，在试验 6 个月的测量结束后，将对父母进行一次试验结束后的访谈，以检查父母对干预的体验。
迄今为止，已从温哥华岛南部和温哥华低陆平原地区招募了 30 个家庭。招募工作将持续到 2026 年，目标是招募 148 个家庭。
本研究通过比较两种干预方法，将有助于了解增加儿童体力活动的有效策略。两种方法都为父母提供有关体力活动益处、行动计划和应对计划支持的教育。然而，一种干预方法还包括专注于促进积极家庭身份和让所有家庭成员一起参与体力活动的组成部分。本研究的结果有可能为改善儿童参与体力活动的公共卫生计划的设计和实施提供信息，并指导更有效的干预措施的制定，这些措施利用父母和家庭系统在塑造儿童体力活动行为方面的关键作用。
临床试验注册 ID 为 NCT05794789。该试验于 2023 年 3 月 2 日在 clinicaltrials.gov 上注册，最近一次更新时间为 2023 年 9 月 28 日。
