title: Effects of a Brief Physical Activity Program on Young Students' Physical Fitness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objective was to test whether brief daily activity could increase young students' physical fitness and compare different forms of intervention delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two intervention groups were instructed to increase children's activity by 6 minutes daily. The principal was responsible for the intervention in the first group while classroom teachers were responsible in the second. The third group was a control. Success was defined by changes in student fitness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The principal-led group had a significant increase in the number of 75-foot laps completed after intervention (+0.61 laps) and a significant decrease in after-exercise heart rate (-37.4 beats per minute) as compared with the control group. The teacher-led group experienced no change in either outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate that a 6-minute increase in activity can produce a significant improvement in student fitness. Administrative support of school-based interventions can have a positive impact on program completion.
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA hayes79@marshall.edu.
authors: Rebecca M
authors: RM
authors: Hayes
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors: Lauren M
authors: LM
authors: Thompson
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors: Todd
authors: T
authors: Gress
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors: Lesley
authors: L
authors: Cottrell
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Pino
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors: Christine L
authors: CL
authors: Gilkerson
authors: Joan C. Edwards Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, WV, USA.
authors: Susan L
authors: SL
authors: Flesher
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: exercise; pediatric obesity; physical fitness; program; schools