title: Acceptability and Potential Efficacy of Single-Sex After-School Activity Programs for Overweight and At-Risk Children: The Wollongong SPORT RCT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Single sex after-school physical activity programs show potential to prevent unhealthy weight gain. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability and potential efficacy of single-sex after-school physical activity programs for overweight and at-risk children from low-income communities.
  
  
  METHODS
  7-month, 2-arm parallel-group, RCT, conducted at an elementary school in a disadvantaged area in Wollongong, Australia (March-November 2010).
  
  
  METHODS
  20 boys and 17 girls were randomized to intervention (PA) or active comparison groups (HL). Primary outcomes included implementation, acceptability, percentage body fat and BMI z-score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PA programs were acceptable with high implementation and enjoyment rates. At 7 months postintervention girls in the PA group displayed greater changes in percentage body fat (adjust diff. = -1.70, [95% CI -3.25, -0.14]; d = -0.83) and BMI z-score (-0.19 [-0.36, -0.03]; d= -1.00). At 7 months boys in the PA group showed greater changes in waist circumference (-3.87 cm [-7.80, 0.15]; d= -0.90) and waist circumference z-score (-0.33 [-0.64, -0.03]; d= -0.98). For both boys' and girls' PA groups, changes in adiposity were not maintained at 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-sex after-school physical activity programs are acceptable and potentially efficacious in preventing unhealthy weight gain among overweight and at-risk children. However improvements are hard to sustain once programs finish operating.
authors: Early Start Research Institute, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors: Rachel A
authors: RA
authors: Jones
authors: Jacque
authors: J
authors: Kelly
authors: Dylan P
authors: DP
authors: Cliff
authors: Marijka
authors: M
authors: Batterham
authors: Anthony D
authors: AD
authors: Okely
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D001315:Australia; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology*; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011203:Poverty; D016730:Program Development; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference