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Over the last 4 decades, physical activity researchers have invested heavily in determining "what works" to promote healthy behaviors in schools. Single and multicomponent school-based interventions that target physical education, active transportation, and/or classroom activity breaks effectively increased physical activity among children and youth. Yet, few of these interventions are ever scaled-up and implemented under real-world conditions and in diverse populations. To achieve population-level health benefits, there is a need to design school-based health-promoting interventions for scalability and to consider key aspects of the scale-up process. In this opinion piece, we aim to identify challenges and advance knowledge and action toward scaling-up school-based physical activity interventions. We highlight the key roles of planning for scale-up at the outset, scale-up pathways, trust among partners and program support, program adaptation, evaluation of scale-up, and barriers and facilitators to scaling-up. We draw upon our experience scaling-up effective school-based interventions and provide a solid foundation from which others can work toward bridging the implementation-to-scale-up gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educators strongly influence young children's behaviors, and their perspectives regarding physical activity (PA) and screen-viewing (SV) may influence their provision in childcare. This study gathered early childhood education (ECE) candidates' perspectives regarding: (1) the importance of their role(s) in promoting PA/reducing SV; (2) how their ECE program and personal PA may influence these perspectives; and (3) their interest in PA/SV training. An online survey was completed by 1,292 ECE candidates from 61 programs. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests explored these perspectives by PA/SV courses taken and by meeting the Canadian adult PA guideline. ECE candidates with PA-related training reported higher perceived importance (n=2 items; p<0.05*) and personal responsibility (n=4 items; p<0.05) for items related to teaching PA, compared to those without training. SV training was not reported to influence their perspectives. Candidates who reported meeting the PA guideline reported higher importance (n=3 items; p<0.05) and personal responsibility (n=3 items; p<0.05) for items related to promoting PA, than those not meeting the guidelines. Most candidates (77.5%-93.3%) showed interest in further PA/SV training. Findings underscore the benefit of PA-related training, and personal PA habits, with regard to positively influencing ECE candidates' values and perceptions of their role in promoting PA in childcare.

This study examined the associations of parental movement behaviors (MBs; sleep, stationary time, light-intensity physical activity [LPA], and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA]) and parent-child proximity with preschool-aged children's MBs. Parent-child MBs and proximity were assessed with Bluetooth-enabled accelerometers. Parent-child proximity behaviors were categorized as follows: no proximity (NP), proximity and matching parent-child MBs (Co), and proximity and mismatching parent-child MBs (Close). Lastly, proximity MBs were categorized specific to children's MBs (e.g. NP-MVPA, Co-MVPA, and Close-MVPA). Compositional analyses were conducted. Children (n = 89) were mostly boys (69.7%) with a mean age of 4.6 ± 0.7 years. Parent MBs were not associated with children's MBs. Reallocating 1% of the proximity behavior composition to Close resulted in +2.45 minutes/day of children's LPA. Reallocating 1% of the proximity-MVPA composition to NP-MVPA resulted in +1.61 minutes/day of children's MVPA. Parent-child proximity may be a modifiable correlate of children's physical activity. Future research should measure the whole family.

Children and youth in contemporary western society spend less time outdoors compared to previous generations. Increased use of technology, lack of green space, and concerns for risk and safety have contributed to a generation of children spending too much time indoors. A disconnection between children and nature has occurred. Our team conducted a research synthesis review of several empirically defined non-traditional literacies (physical literacy, media literacy, health literacy, nutrition literacy, and ecological literacy) to identify common components used to conceptualize, define, and describe a new nature-based literacy. Findings included four common components: (a) Motivation, (b) Knowledge, (c) Competence, and (d) Confidence. Operationalizing nature-based literacy into a set of capability domains are described as a practical way of re-engaging children and youth with the natural world. Recommendations for future research and practice are shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of a 4-month intervention on students' motivation in Grade 10 physical education and enrollment in elective physical education. Health Promoting Secondary School Physical Education (HPSS PE) was designed to improve students' psychological need satisfaction in physical education, based on self-determination theory. A matched comparison pre-post design was used with 10 schools (5 intervention, 5 usual practice). Students (N = 373) completed questionnaires that assessed perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and school personnel provided enrollment information. Results indicated that HPSS PE was not effective in increasing participants' psychological need satisfaction; however, female students receiving the intervention were significantly more likely to enroll in elective physical education. Insights contribute to the evidence about creating need-supportive environments in physical education and improving enrollment rates in elective programming.

This study examined the influence of a 4-month intervention on students' motivation in Grade 10 physical education and enrollment in elective physical education. Health Promoting Secondary School Physical Education (HPSS PE) was designed to improve students' psychological need satisfaction in physical education, based on self-determination theory. A matched comparison pre-post design was used with 10 schools (5 intervention, 5 usual practice). Students (N = 373) completed questionnaires that assessed perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and school personnel provided enrollment information. Results indicated that HPSS PE was not effective in increasing participants' psychological need satisfaction; however, female students receiving the intervention were significantly more likely to enroll in elective physical education. Insights contribute to the evidence about creating need-supportive environments in physical education and improving enrollment rates in elective programming., It has been widely acknowledged that school-based physical education programs can play a critical role in positively influencing students' attitudes toward, and patterns of, physical activity (Alderman et al., 2012; [...]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of two family interventions targeting inactive children on their parents' MVPA. Correlates of MVPA across the trial in the form of theory of planned behavior (TPB) and multi-process action control (M-PAC) were examined as exploratory outcomes. Parents (of children aged 6-12 years) were randomized to either a planning + education (n = 52) or an education only condition (n = 50) designed to improve child MVPA. Parental MVPA (accelerometry, self-report) was assessed at baseline, 6-week, 13-week, and 26-week time-periods. Parental MVPA increased from baseline to 26 weeks (p < .05), but there were no group differences. The TPB was unable to predict MVPA and application of M-PAC showed this was because nearly all participants possessed the intention to be active. Successful-compared to unsuccessful-intenders had stronger habit in four of the six tests employed (p < .05). Parent MVPA may benefit during a family-based intervention but the putative mediators of this increase are unclear. Registered trial clinicaltrials.gov #NCT01882192, Author(s): Ryan E. Rhodes [sup.1] , Alison Quinlan [sup.1] , Patti-Jean Naylor [sup.1] , Darren E. R. Warburton [sup.2] , Chris M. Blanchard [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.143640.4, 0000 0004 [...]

Objective: This study explored factors affecting the implementation of good-quality physical activity provision in after-school childcare delivered in a Canadian jurisdiction without specific policy, standards or active interventions aimed at increasing physical activity underway. Design: Case study design theoretically guided by the implementation literature. Method: Of the 80 childcare centres in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 50 were eligible or available to participate. Managers from centres who agreed to participate responded to direct recruitment (n = 9); an additional seven staff were recruited through snowball sampling (n = 7). Semi-structured interviews explored macro-, organisational- and individual-level factors influencing implementation. Coding strategies suggested by grounded theory (open, axial and selective), constant comparison with the literature and an a priori conceptual framework were used to analyse the data. Results: Three primary themes ("Being confined," "Working together to pull it off" and "It takes skill") and three subthemes ("It's a moving target," "We have to make do" and "Centre rules and routines dictate practice") emerged from the analysis. Conclusion: The study contributes to the understanding of facilitators and barriers to the implementation of good-quality physical activity provision in typical after-school childcare centres. This information can inform guideline and implementation resource development.

Background: Comprehensive School Health models offer a promising strategy to elicit changes in student health behaviours. To maximise the effect of such models, the active involvement of teachers and students in the change process is recommended. Objective: The goal of this project was to gain insight into the experiences and motivations of teachers and students involved in a choice-based Comprehensive School Health model--Health Promoting Secondary Schools (HPSS). Setting: School communities in British Columbia, Canada. Design and methods: HPSS engaged teachers and students in the planning and implementation of a whole-school health model aimed at improving the physical activity and eating behaviours of high school students. The intervention components were specifically informed by self-determination theory. A total of 23 teachers and 34 school committee members participated in focus group interviews. The minutes of planning meetings were collected throughout the intervention process. Results: Analysis of the data revealed five themes associated with participants' experiences and motivational processes: (a) lack of time for planning and preparation; (b) resources, workshops and collaboration; (c) teacher control impacts student engagement; (d) teacher job action inhibited implementation of HPSS action plans; and (e) choice-based design impacts participants' experiences. Conclusion: Findings from this study can facilitate future school-based projects by providing insights into student and teacher perspectives on the planning and implementation of school-based health promotion programmes and implementing choice-based educational change initiatives.