title: School gardens and physical activity: a randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines effects of a school garden intervention on elementary school children's physical activity (PA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve schools in New York were randomly assigned to receive the school garden intervention (n=6) or to the waitlist control group that later received gardens (n=6). PA was measured by self-report survey (Girls Health Enrichment Multi-site Study Activity Questionnaire) (N=227) and accelerometry (N=124, 8 schools) at baseline (Fall 2011) and follow-up (Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013). Direct observation (N=117, 4 schools) was employed to compare indoor (classroom) and outdoor (garden) PA. Analysis was by general linear mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey data indicate garden intervention children's reports of usual sedentary activity decreased from pre-garden baseline to post-garden more than the control group children's (Δ=-.19, p=.001). Accelerometry data reveal that during the school day, children in the garden intervention showed a greater increase in percent of time spent in moderate and moderate-to-vigorous PA from baseline to follow-up than the control group children (Δ=+.58, p=.010; Δ=+1.0, p=.044). Direct observation within-group comparison of children at schools with gardens revealed that children move more and sit less during an outdoor garden-based lesson than during an indoor, classroom-based lesson.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School gardens show some promise to promote children's PA.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02148315.
authors.affiliation: Department of Design & Environmental Analysis, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address: nmw2@cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: Department of Design & Environmental Analysis, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Beth M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D051639:Gardening; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009518:New York; D011203:Poverty; D012572:School Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Child; Gardening; Health behavior; Motor activity; Primary schools