title: School-community partnerships: a cluster-randomized trial of an after-school soccer program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identifying community-based programs that increase physical activity among diverse youth could yield sustainable tools to reduce obesity and obesity disparities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a community-based after-school soccer and youth development program, America SCORES, on students' physical activity, weight status, and fitness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster-randomized trial. Study measures were collected in the fall (baseline), winter (midpoint), and spring (end point) of the 2009-2010 school year.
  
  
  METHODS
  After-school programs in 6 schools within a large urban school district.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 4th and 5th grade students in after-school programs at the study schools were eligible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three schools were randomized to receive the SCORES after-school program, delivered via the train-the-trainer model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in minutes of after-school moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fitness (maximal oxygen consumption), and body mass index over 1 school year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants (n = 156) were diverse (42% Latino, 32% Asian, and 12% African American) and 76 (49%) had a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile. There were no significant group differences in the change in physical activity, fitness, or weight status among all students. However, among students with a body mass index at or above the 85th percentile, SCORES significantly increased MVPA after school (3.4 min/d; 95% CI, 0.3-6.5) and on Saturdays (18.5 minutes; 95% CI, 3.4-33.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Existing community-based programs such as SCORES can increase physical activity among low-income youth, particularly those most at risk for weight-related comorbidities. While evaluating existing programs presents special challenges, partnerships between communities, schools, and researchers are an important component of translational research to address obesity.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01156103.
authors: University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health, 219 University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-7360, USA. madsenk@berkeley.edu
authors: Kristine
authors: K
authors: Madsen
authors: Hannah
authors: H
authors: Thompson
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Adkins
authors: Yashica
authors: Y
authors: Crawford
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012574:Schools; D012916:Soccer