Action 3:30R: Results of a cluster randomised feasibility study of a revised teaching assistant-led extracurricular physical activity intervention for 8 to 10 year olds

Russell Jago*, Byron Tibbitts, Emily Sanderson, Emma L. Bird, Alice Porter, Chris Metcalfe, Jane E. Powell, Darren Gillett, Simon J. Sebire

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)
316 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Many children are not sufficiently physically active. We conducted a cluster-randomised feasibility trial of a revised after-school physical activity (PA) programme delivered by trained teaching assistants (TAs) to assess the potential evidence of promise for increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Participants (n = 335) aged 8–10 years were recruited from 12 primary schools in South West England. Six schools were randomised to receive the intervention and six acted as non-intervention controls. In intervention schools, TAs were trained to deliver an after-school programme for 15 weeks. The difference in mean accelerometer-assessed MVPA between intervention and control schools was assessed at follow-up (T1). The cost of programme delivery was estimated. Two schools did not deliver the intervention, meaning four intervention and six control schools were analysed at T1. There was no evidence for a difference in MVPA at T1 between intervention and control groups. Programme delivery cost was estimated at £2.06 per pupil per session. Existing provision in the 12 schools cost £5.91 per pupil per session. Action 3:30 was feasible to deliver and considerably cheaper than existing after-school provision. No difference in weekday MVPA was observed at T1 between the two groups, thus progression to a full trial is not warranted.

Original languageEnglish
Article number131
Number of pages15
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume16
Issue number1
Early online date6 Jan 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2019

Research Groups and Themes

  • BTC (Bristol Trials Centre)
  • BRTC
  • Centre for Surgical Research

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • children
  • teaching assistants
  • intervention
  • feasibility
  • after-school

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