The effect of active brain-breaks on in-school physical activity, fundamental movement skills and executive functioning in grade one children
Date
2021-03
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Abstract
Thesis (PhD Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children should take part in 60minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. Worldwide, children are becoming more sedentary, and therefore more attention should be given to children’s in-school physical activity (PA) patterns, physical fitness and fundamental movement skills (FMS). Children between four to seven years of age go through rapid growth in their motor and cognitive development, and it is therefore vital to establish healthy PA patterns, physical fitness levels and proficiency in their FMS. Getting children more active in the school environment, where they spend majority of their time during the day, and implementing active brain-breaks, which consist of short bouts of PA, can potentially enhance their in-school PA patterns, contribute to the daily recommended MVPA and also improve cognitive function. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of a 10-minute intervention in the form of active brain-breaks during a school day on Grade One children’s (mean age of 6.1 ± 0.36; mean BMI of 15.7) in-school PA patterns, as well as FMS and executive functioning (EF). The study consisted of four articles. Article one and two was based on a descriptive study design, included multiple assessments in order to gain a better understanding of the children’s FMS, physical fitness and EF. The children were assessed using The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), the Head Toes Knees and Shoulder (HTKS) task, a modified EUROFIT version, and anthropometrical measurements were obtained. Article three was based on a quasi-experimental study design, and article four was based on a Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) as well as a descriptive study design. The children’s PA patterns were monitored with Actigraphs and they participated in a 6-week active brain-breaks intervention. Two schools participated in the study. All the children participated in the assessments during phase one. Each school had three Grade one classes. During the intervention (phase two), two classes from each school made up the experimental group and one class was the control group. The initial sample size recruited was N=191, however, incomplete data due to absenteeism were excluded, and thus the total sample size in each article differed. The children were assessed before and after the intervention, using the TGMD-2 and the HTKS ask. The active brain-breaks were self-designed by the researcher and based on integrated neuromuscular training (INT) programmes. The intervention focused on a variety of FMS. All summary statistics were expressed as means, standard deviations, frequency counts and percentages. Comparisons between variables were done by using cross tabulations, Chi- square tests and ANOVA’s. The results of this study indicated that over a third of the participants mastered their FMS and almost a third remained in the ‘poor’ category. The physical fitness results indicated that the participants demonstrated high fitness levels and that boys performed overall better than girls, and the participants had a normal weight status. The active brain-breaks intervention had no statistically significant improvement on the overall FMS, however a significant positive effect was shown in object control skills subtests (p<0.05). During the intervention, the children spent less time being sedentary and more time in vigorous PA. There was also an improvement in their EF. This study contributes to the South African literature base, as to the researcher’s knowledge no other study has implemented an active brain-breaks intervention focusing on FMS. This intervention has demonstrated that active brain-breaks can be executed in a school environment and that these contribute to children’s in-school PA patterns. It also provides an opportunity to practice FMS during school days.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wereld Gesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) beveel aan dat jong kinders daagliks vir ten minste 60 minute aan matig tot strawwe fisieke aktiwiteit (MSFA) moet deelneem. Kinders se leefstyle het wereldwyd meer sedenter geword en daarom moet fisieke aktiwiteit (FA), fiksheid en fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede (FBV) beklemtoon word. Die motoriese en kognitiewe ontwikkeling van kinders tussen die ouderdom van vier en sewe jaar oud ondergaan ’n versnelde groeitempo wat die vestiging van gesonde FA patrone, fisieke fiksheidsvlakke en bedrewenheid in FBV tydens hierdie tydperk, noodsaak. Daagliks spandeer kinders die meeste van hulle tyd by die skool wat die ideale omgewing bied om hulle fisiek meer aktief te kry. Die implementering van aktiewe brein breke tydens klastyd, wat kort FA sessies behels, kan moontlik FA patrone verhoog, bydra tot die daaglikse aanbevole MISFA en verbetering van kognitiewe funksies. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die effek van 10-minuut aktiewe brein breke intervensies gedurende ’n skooldag op Graad 1 leerders (gemiddelde ouderdom 6.1 ± 0.36; gemiddelde BMI van 15.7) se in-skool FA patrone, FBV en uitvoerende funksionering (UF), te bepaal. Die studie het uit vier artikels bestaan. Artikel een en twee was ‘n beskrywende studie ontwerp, en dit het meervoudige assesserings uitgevoer om ’n beter begrip te verkry van die leerders se FBV, fiksheid en UF. Die assessering het die Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), die Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Competence (PMSC), die Head Toes Knees and Shoulder (HTKS) taak, ‘n aangepaste EUROFIT weergawe en antropometriese metings ingesluit. Artikel drie was ‘n kwasi-eksperimentele studie ontwerp en artikel vier was ‘n Vergelykende Effektiwiteitsondersoek sowel as ‘n beskrywende studie ontwerp. Die leerders het aan ’n 6-week aktiewe brein breke intervensie deelgeneem waartydens FA patrone deur Actigraphs gemonitor is. Twee skole het vrywillig aangebied om aan die studie deel te neem. Elke skool het drie Graad 1 klasse gehad en al die leerders het tydens fase een aan die assesserings deelgeneem. Tydens die intervensie (fase 2) het twee klasse van elke skool die eksperimentele groep gevorm en een klas die kontrole groep. Die aanvanklike gewerfde steekproef grootte was N=191, as gevolg van afwesigheid was onvolledige data stelle uitgesluit, en daarom verskil die totale steekproef grootte van elke artikel. Die leerders is pre- en post-intervensie met die TGMD-2 en die HTKS taak geassesseer. Die aktiewe brein breke, gebaseer op geintegreerde neuro-muskulere inoefeningsprogramme, is deur die navorser ontwerp. Die fokus van die intervensie was op ’n verskeidenheid FBV. Al die opsommende statistiek is as gemiddeldes, mediane, standaard afwykings, frekwensies en persentasies uitgedruk. Kruis tabulasie, Chi- kwadraat toetse en ANOVA’s is gebruik om vergelykings tussen veranderlikes te tref. Die resultate van die huidige studie toon dat meer as ‘n derde van die leerders hulle FBV bemeester het, en amper ‘n derde dit nog nie bemeester het nie. Die fisieke fiksheid resultate het aangedui dat die leerders hoe fiksheidsvlakke toon, en dat seuns beter gevorder het as die meisies. Die leerders het normale gewig status. Die aktiewe brein breke intervensies het geen statistiese beduidende resultate getoon oor die algehele FBV nie, alhoewel daar ’n betekenisvolle positiewe effek (p<0.05) op die leerders se objekbeheer vaardighede was. Gedurende die intervensie was die leerders minder sedenter en meer betrokke by strawwe FA. Daar was ook ’n verbetering in die leerders se UF. Hierdie studie dra by tot die poel van Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur oor hierdie onderwerp. Volgens die navorser se kennis het geen ander studies aktiewe brein breke intervensies wat op FBV fokus, onderneem nie. Die huidige studie toon dat aktiewe brein breke in ’n skoolomgewing uitgevoer kan word en kan tot leerders se in-skool FA patrone bydra. Dit kan ook geleenthede skep om aan FBV gedurende skooldae deel te neem.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children should take part in 60minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. Worldwide, children are becoming more sedentary, and therefore more attention should be given to children’s in-school physical activity (PA) patterns, physical fitness and fundamental movement skills (FMS). Children between four to seven years of age go through rapid growth in their motor and cognitive development, and it is therefore vital to establish healthy PA patterns, physical fitness levels and proficiency in their FMS. Getting children more active in the school environment, where they spend majority of their time during the day, and implementing active brain-breaks, which consist of short bouts of PA, can potentially enhance their in-school PA patterns, contribute to the daily recommended MVPA and also improve cognitive function. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of a 10-minute intervention in the form of active brain-breaks during a school day on Grade One children’s (mean age of 6.1 ± 0.36; mean BMI of 15.7) in-school PA patterns, as well as FMS and executive functioning (EF). The study consisted of four articles. Article one and two was based on a descriptive study design, included multiple assessments in order to gain a better understanding of the children’s FMS, physical fitness and EF. The children were assessed using The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), the Head Toes Knees and Shoulder (HTKS) task, a modified EUROFIT version, and anthropometrical measurements were obtained. Article three was based on a quasi-experimental study design, and article four was based on a Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) as well as a descriptive study design. The children’s PA patterns were monitored with Actigraphs and they participated in a 6-week active brain-breaks intervention. Two schools participated in the study. All the children participated in the assessments during phase one. Each school had three Grade one classes. During the intervention (phase two), two classes from each school made up the experimental group and one class was the control group. The initial sample size recruited was N=191, however, incomplete data due to absenteeism were excluded, and thus the total sample size in each article differed. The children were assessed before and after the intervention, using the TGMD-2 and the HTKS ask. The active brain-breaks were self-designed by the researcher and based on integrated neuromuscular training (INT) programmes. The intervention focused on a variety of FMS. All summary statistics were expressed as means, standard deviations, frequency counts and percentages. Comparisons between variables were done by using cross tabulations, Chi- square tests and ANOVA’s. The results of this study indicated that over a third of the participants mastered their FMS and almost a third remained in the ‘poor’ category. The physical fitness results indicated that the participants demonstrated high fitness levels and that boys performed overall better than girls, and the participants had a normal weight status. The active brain-breaks intervention had no statistically significant improvement on the overall FMS, however a significant positive effect was shown in object control skills subtests (p<0.05). During the intervention, the children spent less time being sedentary and more time in vigorous PA. There was also an improvement in their EF. This study contributes to the South African literature base, as to the researcher’s knowledge no other study has implemented an active brain-breaks intervention focusing on FMS. This intervention has demonstrated that active brain-breaks can be executed in a school environment and that these contribute to children’s in-school PA patterns. It also provides an opportunity to practice FMS during school days.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wereld Gesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) beveel aan dat jong kinders daagliks vir ten minste 60 minute aan matig tot strawwe fisieke aktiwiteit (MSFA) moet deelneem. Kinders se leefstyle het wereldwyd meer sedenter geword en daarom moet fisieke aktiwiteit (FA), fiksheid en fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede (FBV) beklemtoon word. Die motoriese en kognitiewe ontwikkeling van kinders tussen die ouderdom van vier en sewe jaar oud ondergaan ’n versnelde groeitempo wat die vestiging van gesonde FA patrone, fisieke fiksheidsvlakke en bedrewenheid in FBV tydens hierdie tydperk, noodsaak. Daagliks spandeer kinders die meeste van hulle tyd by die skool wat die ideale omgewing bied om hulle fisiek meer aktief te kry. Die implementering van aktiewe brein breke tydens klastyd, wat kort FA sessies behels, kan moontlik FA patrone verhoog, bydra tot die daaglikse aanbevole MISFA en verbetering van kognitiewe funksies. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die effek van 10-minuut aktiewe brein breke intervensies gedurende ’n skooldag op Graad 1 leerders (gemiddelde ouderdom 6.1 ± 0.36; gemiddelde BMI van 15.7) se in-skool FA patrone, FBV en uitvoerende funksionering (UF), te bepaal. Die studie het uit vier artikels bestaan. Artikel een en twee was ‘n beskrywende studie ontwerp, en dit het meervoudige assesserings uitgevoer om ’n beter begrip te verkry van die leerders se FBV, fiksheid en UF. Die assessering het die Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), die Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Competence (PMSC), die Head Toes Knees and Shoulder (HTKS) taak, ‘n aangepaste EUROFIT weergawe en antropometriese metings ingesluit. Artikel drie was ‘n kwasi-eksperimentele studie ontwerp en artikel vier was ‘n Vergelykende Effektiwiteitsondersoek sowel as ‘n beskrywende studie ontwerp. Die leerders het aan ’n 6-week aktiewe brein breke intervensie deelgeneem waartydens FA patrone deur Actigraphs gemonitor is. Twee skole het vrywillig aangebied om aan die studie deel te neem. Elke skool het drie Graad 1 klasse gehad en al die leerders het tydens fase een aan die assesserings deelgeneem. Tydens die intervensie (fase 2) het twee klasse van elke skool die eksperimentele groep gevorm en een klas die kontrole groep. Die aanvanklike gewerfde steekproef grootte was N=191, as gevolg van afwesigheid was onvolledige data stelle uitgesluit, en daarom verskil die totale steekproef grootte van elke artikel. Die leerders is pre- en post-intervensie met die TGMD-2 en die HTKS taak geassesseer. Die aktiewe brein breke, gebaseer op geintegreerde neuro-muskulere inoefeningsprogramme, is deur die navorser ontwerp. Die fokus van die intervensie was op ’n verskeidenheid FBV. Al die opsommende statistiek is as gemiddeldes, mediane, standaard afwykings, frekwensies en persentasies uitgedruk. Kruis tabulasie, Chi- kwadraat toetse en ANOVA’s is gebruik om vergelykings tussen veranderlikes te tref. Die resultate van die huidige studie toon dat meer as ‘n derde van die leerders hulle FBV bemeester het, en amper ‘n derde dit nog nie bemeester het nie. Die fisieke fiksheid resultate het aangedui dat die leerders hoe fiksheidsvlakke toon, en dat seuns beter gevorder het as die meisies. Die leerders het normale gewig status. Die aktiewe brein breke intervensies het geen statistiese beduidende resultate getoon oor die algehele FBV nie, alhoewel daar ’n betekenisvolle positiewe effek (p<0.05) op die leerders se objekbeheer vaardighede was. Gedurende die intervensie was die leerders minder sedenter en meer betrokke by strawwe FA. Daar was ook ’n verbetering in die leerders se UF. Hierdie studie dra by tot die poel van Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur oor hierdie onderwerp. Volgens die navorser se kennis het geen ander studies aktiewe brein breke intervensies wat op FBV fokus, onderneem nie. Die huidige studie toon dat aktiewe brein breke in ’n skoolomgewing uitgevoer kan word en kan tot leerders se in-skool FA patrone bydra. Dit kan ook geleenthede skep om aan FBV gedurende skooldae deel te neem.
Description
Keywords
Movement education -- Audio-visual aids, Early childhood education -- Activity programs, First grade (Education), Physical education for children -- Audio-visual aids, Mind and body therapies, Relaxation -- Technique, Executive functions (Neuropsychology), UCTD