title: Increasing physical activity among young children from disadvantaged communities: study protocol of a group randomised controlled effectiveness trial.
abstract: Participation in regular physical activity (PA) during the early years helps children achieve healthy body weight and can substantially improve motor development, bone health, psychosocial health and cognitive development. Despite common assumptions that young children are naturally active, evidence shows that they are insufficiently active for health and developmental benefits. Exploring strategies to increase physical activity in young children is a public health and research priority.
  
  
  
  Jump Start is a multi-component, multi-setting PA and gross motor skill intervention for young children aged 3-5 years in disadvantaged areas of New South Wales, Australia. The intervention will be evaluated using a two-arm, parallel group, randomised cluster trial. The Jump Start protocol was based on Social Cognitive Theory and includes five components: a structured gross motor skill lesson (Jump In); unstructured outdoor PA and gross motor skill time (Jump Out); energy breaks (Jump Up); activities connecting movement to learning experiences (Jump Through); and a home-based family component to promote PA and gross motor skill (Jump Home). Early childhood education and care centres will be demographically matched and randomised to Jump Start (intervention) or usual practice (comparison) group. The intervention group receive Jump Start professional development, program resources, monthly newsletters and ongoing intervention support. Outcomes include change in total PA (accelerometers) within centre hours, gross motor skill development (Test of Gross Motor Development-2), weight status (body mass index), bone strength (Sunlight MiniOmni Ultrasound Bone Sonometer), self-regulation (Heads-Toes-Knees-Shoulders, executive function tasks, and proxy-report Temperament and Approaches to learning scales), and educator and parent self-efficacy. Extensive quantitative and qualitative process evaluation and a cost-effectiveness evaluation will be conducted.
  
  
  
  The Jump Start intervention is a unique program to address low levels of PA and gross motor skill proficiency, and support healthy lifestyle behaviours among young children in disadvantaged communities. If shown to be efficacious, the Jump Start approach can be expected to have implications for early childhood education and care policies and practices, and ultimately a positive effect on the health and development across the life course.
  
  
  
  Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry No: ACTRN12614000597695 , first received: June 5, 2014.
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Dylan P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Cliff
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland Centre for Children's Health Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Stewart G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Trost
authors.affiliation: School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berthelsen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Marijka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Batterham
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eckermann
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Ngiare
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, College of Sport and Exercise Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mickle
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinkley
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Xanne
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Fay
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gowers
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia. tokely@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Okely
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001842:Bone and Bones; D002657:Child Development; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D056344:Executive Function; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009517:New South Wales; D010290:Parents; D011634:Public Health; D012107:Research Design; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013694:Temperament; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: Cluster randomised controlled trial; Early years; Motor skill; Physical activity; Preschool; Professional development