title: Physical activity outcomes in afterschool programs: A group randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Afterschool programs (ASPs) across the US are working towards achieving the standard of all children accumulating 30min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during program time. This study describes the two-year impact of an intervention designed to assist ASPs meeting the 30min/day MVPA standard.
  
  
  
  Using a two-year delayed treatment, group randomized controlled trial, 20 ASPs serving ~1700 children/year (6-12yrs) were randomized to either an immediate (n=10, baseline-2013 and 2yrs intervention fall-2013-to-spring-2015) or delayed group (n=10, baseline 2013-2014 and 1yr intervention fall-2014-to-spring-2015). The intervention, Strategies-To-Enhance-Practice (STEPs), focused on programming MVPA in the daily schedule, training of staff and leaders, and ongoing technical support/assistance. Accelerometry-derived proportion of children meeting the 30min/day MVPA standard was measured in the spring of each year. Mixed model logistic regressions were used to examine the change in the odds of achieving the MVPA standard. Analyses were conducted in 2015. Data were collected in one southeastern US state.
  
  
  
  Immediate boys (n=677) and delayed girls (n=658) increased the percent achieving 30min MVPA/day from 35.9% to 47.0% (odds ratio [OR]=1.88, 95% CI 1.18-3.00) and 13.1% to 19.1% (OR=1.42, 95% CI 1.03-1.96). Immediate girls (n=613) and delayed boys (n=687) exhibited a nonsignificant increase from 19.1% to 21.6% (OR=1.20, 95% CI 0.84-1.72) and 29.0% to 31.3% (OR=1.13, 95%CI 0.80-1.58).
  
  
  
  STEPs can have an impact on children's MVPA and time spent sedentary, yet was unable to fully achieve the goal of all children accumulating 30minMVPA/day. Additional efforts are need to identify strategies ASPs can use to meet this important public health standard.
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States. Electronic address: beets@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beets
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: R Glenn
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turner-McGrievy
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huberty
authors.affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Dianne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: Russell R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pate
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School for Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hutto
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest School of Medicine, United States.
authors.forename: Justin B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biostatistics, IMM, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bottai
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brazendale
authors.affiliation: College of Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beighle
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D057185:Sedentary Behavior
keywords: Accelerometer; Intervention; Obesity; School; Standards