title: Increasing Children's Voluntary Physical Activity Outside of School Hours Through Targeting Social Cognitive Theory Variables.
abstract: Volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity completed during the elementary school day is insufficient, and associated with health risks. Improvements in theory-based psychosocial factors might facilitate increased out-of-school physical activity.
  
  
  
  A behaviorally based after-school care protocol, Youth Fit 4 Life, was tested for its association with increased voluntary, out-of-school physical activity and improvements in its theory-based psychosocial predictors in 9- to 12-year-olds.
  
  
  
  Increases over 12 weeks in out-of-school physical activity, and improvements in self-regulation for physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and mood, were significantly greater in the Youth Fit 4 Life group (n = 88) when contrasted with a typical care control group (n = 57). Changes in the 3 psychosocial variables significantly mediated the group-physical activity change relationship (R(2) = .31, P < .001). Change in self-regulation was a significant independent mediator, and had a reciprocal relationship with change in out-of-school physical activity. In the Youth Fit 4 Life group, occurrence of 300 min/wk of overall physical activity increased from 41% to 71%.
  
  
  
  Targeting theory-based psychosocial changes within a structured after-school care physical activity program was associated with increases in children's overall time being physically active. After replication, large scale application will be warranted.
authors.affiliation: YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA jamesa@ymcaatlanta.org.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Annesi
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Brittney L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Greenwood
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools; D020377:Self Efficacy; D000068356:Self-Control / Q000523:psychology
keywords: physical activity; psychological; social cognitive; voluntary; youth