Assessment of the Impact of a Sports Kit on Physical Activity in Children 8 to 11 Years of Age

Abstract

Objective: Fewer than 10% of French children meet the WHO recommendations for physical activity (PA). As engaging in play activities is a key way to promote PA in children, we evaluated the effect of a sports kit called "Le Sport Ça Me Dit" ("Sport is fun") that provides a recreational way to engage in sports. Design: This was an open longitudinal controlled study. The children were divided into two groups for the first 7 weeks (Period 1): an Action group that used the kit for two recreational sessions per week (comprising six different activities) and a Control group that was not provided use of the kit. For the next 7 weeks (Period 2), neither group was provided use of the kit. Setting: Six towns in northern France. Subjects: 213 children aged 8-11 were recruited: 122 for the Control group and 91 for the Action group. Each child received a 3D accelerometer wristband to measure their level of PA during the 14 weeks of the study. In parallel, the children completed a questionnaire, 3 times (before (T0), during (T1) and at the end of the study (T2)), regarding their PA habits, screen time, and sleep habits. Results: A significant increase in the steps number was observed when the sports kit was used (p=0.025); although this effect was lost over time (p=0.672). Subpopulation analysis revealed a significant increase in the steps number and light PA in overweight children in the Action group for both periods (p=0.018 and p=0.012). Conclusion: The use of the sports kit increased the PA level of the children, and particularly in overweight children. Although these results require further investigation, they provide novel insights in regard to overweight children.

Feasibility and acceptability of at-home play kits for middle school physical activity promotion during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…This adaptation process, discussed in in subsequent sections, resulted in UHome, a “play kit”-based program for middle school students. Prior studies have found that play kits, comprised of PA supportive equipment and informational resources, are an acceptable intervention for elementary school children [ 8 ] with the potential to increase PA [ 9 ] as well as skills and attitudes that may be predictive of future increases in PA [ 10 ]. Key modifiers of play kit effectiveness among elementary school-aged children include reminders for use (e.g., motivational phone calls) and engagement by caregivers [ 10 ].…”