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Background: This systematic review examined the effectiveness of experiential learning interventions for improving children's physical activity knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. It also aimed to identify intervention characteristics that resulted in the greatest impact. Methods: Four databases: Education Research Complete, Scopus, Web of Science and PsychINFO were searched from database inception to January 2023. Eligible studies: (1) included children 0–12 years; (2) assessed the effect of physical activity outcomes on children's physical activity knowledge, attitudes or behaviour and (3) were randomised controlled trials conducted in any setting. Study risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Intervention approaches were categorised, and effect sizes were compared across studies for each outcome. Results: Twelve studies were included in the review: ten in school age and two in below five years. For behavioural outcomes, six of eight studies showed medium to large effects (effects size (ES) range: 0.3–0.9), two of the three studies that assessed attitudinal outcomes displayed medium effects (ES range: 0.4–0.5) and both studies that assessed knowledge outcomes displayed medium to large effects (ES range: 0.4–1.3). The two experiential learning interventions among children < 5 years demonstrated small to medium effects on behaviour change (ES range: 0.2–0.5). Effective interventions combined enjoyable practical activities (fitness activities, games and challenges), with behaviour change techniques (goal setting, and self-monitoring), were underpinned by a behaviour change theory, and were often of short duration (< 4 months) but intense (several sessions/week). Moderate to high statistical heterogeneity was observed for behaviour outcomes and risk of bias across studies was generally high. Conclusions: This review provides some evidence supporting the effectiveness of experiential learning interventions in improving physical activity outcomes in school-aged children. Additional evidence is needed in children <5 years old. Future experiential learning interventions need to strengthen the evidence with rigorous methodological quality and clear reporting of the experiential learning components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few translational trials have provided detailed reports of process evaluation results.Objective: This study reported on findings from a mixed methods process evaluation of a large translational trial comparing 2 remotely delivered healthy eating and active living interventions with an active control, targeting parents of young children.Methods: Mixed methods process evaluation data were collected as part of a 3-arm, partially randomized preference trial targeting parents of children aged 2 to 6 years from New South Wales, Australia. Recruitment strategies were assessed through the participant baseline questionnaire and a questionnaire completed by the health promotion staff involved in recruitment. Data on participants' intervention preferences were collected at baseline and after the intervention. Intervention acceptability and demographic data were collected via a postintervention questionnaire (approximately 3 months after baseline), which was supplemented by qualitative participant interviews. Implementation data on intervention fidelity and withdrawal were also recorded. Differences in intervention acceptability, fidelity, and withdrawal rates between telephone and web-based interventions and between randomized and nonrandomized participants were analyzed. The significance level was set at P<.05 for all tests. The interview content was analyzed, key themes were drawn from participant responses, and findings were described narratively.Results: Data were collected from 458 participants in the baseline survey and 144 (31.4%) participants in the 3-month postintervention survey. A total of 30 participants completed the qualitative interviews. A total of 6 health promotion staff members participated in the survey on recruitment strategies. Most participants were recruited from Early Childhood Education and Care services. There was a broad reach of the study; however, better take-up rates were observed in regional and rural areas compared with metropolitan areas. Parents with a university education were overrepresented. Most participants preferred the web-based medium of delivery at baseline. There was high acceptability of the web-based and telephone interventions. Participants found the healthy eating content to be the most useful component of the modules (web-based) and calls (telephone). They regarded text (web-based) or verbal (telephone) information as the most useful component. A high proportion of participants completed the telephone intervention compared with the web-based intervention; however, more participants actively withdrew from the telephone intervention.Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to comprehensively report on process evaluation data from a translation trial, which demonstrated high acceptability of all interventions but a strong participant preference for the web-based intervention. This detailed process evaluation is critical to inform further implementation and be considered alongside the effectiveness outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]