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Preschoolers are not meeting physical activity recommendations and are spending an extensive amount of their day sedentary. Interventions targeting teacher-led strategies can benefit children's physical activity levels the most. The purpose of this feasibility study was to examine the effects of an indoor teacher-guided and -led preschool physical activity intervention in low-income schools. Sixty-six preschoolers and twelve preschool teachers participated in this study. Intact classrooms were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. A 2 x 3 mixed ANOVA was used to test changes by group and time. Follow-up measurements included Post-hoc analysis. There was a significant group by time interaction in children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels during indoor time (p = 0.036) and a significant effect on time in children's MVPA levels during outdoor time (p = 0.002). Teacher's identified that when planned, physical activity opportunities are easy to implement during indoor time. Moreover, teachers indicated that they enjoyed providing physical activity opportunities into the classroom setting and the children enjoyed participating in the activities implemented. Teachers identified implementation barriers could be correlated with decreased levels of children's physical activity. Our findings show that a teacher-guided and -led indoor preschool physical activity intervention is a feasible approach that can acutely increase children's MVPA levels.

The term "physical literacy" has been integrated into national physical education standards. This study was designed to better understand how preservice physical educators put physical literacy into practice and prepare to be role models within the school context. Sixty preservice physical educators (46 males, 14 females, aged 19 to 25) participated and performed multiple tests in accordance with the second edition of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy testing battery, as well a questionnaire about their perceived physical competence. Participants had significantly poorer performance than the standard for a 12-year-old child in cardiorespiratory endurance, motor performance, and overall physical activity level. In addition, waist circumference was significantly negatively related to physical competence and physical activity level. A significant positive relationship was found between perceived physical competence and physical activity level among participants. Waist circumference size and low cardiorespiratory endurance were the areas of greatest difficulty and concern for preservice teachers. Also, there was not a significant relationship between actual competence and perceived competence. Our findings suggest a need for a review of the current teacher education curriculum to draw attention to the benefits of physical fitness and motor skills competence for physical education teachers as possible role models.

Objective: Examine the effect of an 8-week teacher-guided active play intervention on preschoolers' body composition and fundamental motor skills. Methods: Participants were from two local preschool centers randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 25, 3.91 ± 0.53 years) or the control group (n = 25, 3.69 ± 0.81 years). All measures were assessed at baseline (week 0), post-intervention (weeks 9–11), and follow-up (weeks 30–33). Bioelectrical Impedance assessed body composition (fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM)). The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition (PDMS-2) assessed fundamental motor skills (gross motor quartile (GMQ)). Results: A significant Group × Time interaction for GMQ at post-intervention (p = 0.03), with the intervention group scoring significantly higher on GMQ. A significant main effect of Time (p < 0.001) indicated that GMQ increased in both groups across the 33-week period. For FM, a significant main effect of Time at both post-intervention (p < 0.05) and follow-up testing (p < 0.001) indicated that participants increased FM over the 33-week period. Lastly, there was a significant main effect of Time for FFM at post-intervention (p = 0.003) and follow-up (p < 0.001). Interestingly, there was a significant Group × Time interaction (p < 0.05) at follow-up testing showing that FFM increased over time but significantly more for the control group. Conclusions: Results indicate that active play interventions might be a successful pathway to improve gross motor skills in young children. Further research is needed to understand the effect that active play interventions have on body composition in preschoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teacher-led strategies targeting verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling can increase preschoolers' physical activity levels; however, it is unknown which strategy promotes higher levels. The purpose of this study was to explore whether teacher verbal prompting or demonstrated modeling elicits higher levels of physical activity among preschoolers. Methods: Participants included 117 (56 females and 61 males; mean = 3.77 y) preschoolers who were observed for 3 days during regular preschool instructions. The System for Observing Student Movement in Academic Routines and Transitions observation system assessed verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling of the teachers, and preschoolers wore an ActiGraph accelerometer to measure physical activity. Results: The multivariate analysis of variance results showed a significant difference for verbal prompting (P <.001), demonstrated modeling (P =.032), light physical activity (P <.001), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; P <.001) between segments of the preschool day. A stepwise linear regression showed that preschooler's MVPA (P =.005) and light physical activity and MVPA (P =.036) were significantly related to demonstrated modeling, but not verbal prompting. During indoor time, light physical activity and MVPA were highest during large group, work time, and morning group, where teacher demonstrated modeling occurred the most. Conclusions: Teacher demonstrated modeling had a significant relationship to preschoolers' MVPA and light physical activity levels, while teacher verbal prompting did not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Physical inactivity is linked with several chronic diseases and poor academic outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effect an under-the-desk band would have on middle school students' physical activity level, and academic engagement. Methods: Two local middle school classrooms (n = 42, M = 20, F = 22) participated in the study, which was conducted over 14 weeks. Physical activity was measured with accelerometry, and academic engagement was assessed using momentary time sampling. Enrolled participants were provided an accelerometer to wear upon entering the classroom. The baseline period lasted for 36 days. During the intervention period, which lasted for the next 30 days, an under-the-desk band was provided to students to freely fidget at their desks. After the study, 13 participants (M = 5, F = 8) in Class A were included in final physical activity analysis, and the 6 participants (M = 3, F = 3) in Class B were included in the academic engagement analysis. Results: Class A had significant increases in percentage of sedentary time (MD = -12.91%, ES = .88) in addition to significant decreases in the percentage of light (MD = 8.82%, ES = .67), moderate (MD = 3.08%, ES = .84), and vigorous (MD = -.04%, ES = .63) physical activity time during the intervention period compared to the baseline period. No significant or meaningful changes occurred in academic engagement with the use of the under-the-desk band. Conclusions: This study high-lights the importance of finding appropriate methods to increase physical activity for adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "physical literacy" has been integrated into national physical education standards. This study was designed to better understand how preservice physical educators put physical literacy into practice and prepare to be role models within the school context. Sixty preservice physical educators (46 males, 14 females, aged 19 to 25) participated and performed multiple tests in accordance with the second edition of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy testing battery, as well a questionnaire about their perceived physical competence. Participants had significantly poorer performance than the standard for a 12-year-old child in cardiorespiratory endurance, motor performance, and overall physical activity level. In addition, waist circumference was significantly negatively related to physical competence and physical activity level. A significant positive relationship was found between perceived physical competence and physical activity level among participants. Waist circumference size and low cardiorespiratory endurance were the areas of greatest difficulty and concern for preservice teachers. Also, there was not a significant relationship between actual competence and perceived competence. Our findings suggest a need for a review of the current teacher education curriculum to draw attention to the benefits of physical fitness and motor skills competence for physical education teachers as possible role models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifetime sports, such as tennis, provide opportunities for participation throughout the lifespan and has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. The objective of this study was to consider the influence of chronic tennis participation on various parameters of health. Members of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) completed a survey consisting of questions from International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Satisfaction With Life Survey (SWLS), and specific tennis participation questions. Descriptive characteristics were calculated for all variables and a chi-squared analysis was used to compare prevalence of health variables of this sample and recent BRFSS data. Compared to the BRFSS greater proportion of study participants 45yrs and older frequently reported being in good or better health (Χ²=7.946, p = 0.005); lower obesity rates (Χ²=19.92, p = 0.0001); and a lower prevalence of heart disease than those of similar age who completed BRFSS (Χ²= 8.759, p = 0.003). This study highlights the importance of activities that continue throughout the lifespan such as tennis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adult women have unique barriers to exercise, but assessing the psychological and behavioral strategies of women who overcome these barriers may be beneficial for informing future exercise programs. This study assessed differences in motives and self-regulation by type (aerobic or muscle-strengthening) and frequency of exercise, along with preferences for exercise amongst young adult women who exercise regularly., Methods: A survey assessed exercise frequency (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), intensity (Borg's scale), type, and social and physical preferences. The Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 measured motivators for exercise and the Physical Activity Self-Regulation Scale measured self-regulation. Characteristics and preferences for exercise were examined using descriptives and frequencies. MANOVAs assessed differences in motivators and self-regulation by frequency of exercise, and regression analyses assessed differences in exercise predictors by type., Results: The sample consisted of 269 women ages 18-34 (66.5% White), of whom 80.3% met the national guidelines for aerobic exercise, 78.4% met the guidelines for muscle-strengthening exercise, and 32.3% identified resistance exercise as their preferred type of exercise. Weight management and self-regulation ( p  = .021, R 2  = .073) were the strongest predictors of aerobic exercise. Positive health, strength and endurance, and self-regulation ( p  = .023, R 2  = .161) were predictors of muscle-strengthening exercise. Women who participated in high amounts of aerobic exercise were motivated by interpersonal factors while psychological factors motivated high frequency of muscle-strengthening exercise., Conclusions: Programs for young adult women should consider incorporating resistance exercise as this study shows it may evoke motivation that could lead to regular participation. Self-regulation strategies were associated with adherence to both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises, highlighting the potential importance for inclusion in future interventions., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Background: Teacher-led strategies targeting verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling can increase preschoolers' physical activity levels; however, it is unknown which strategy promotes higher levels. The purpose of this study was to explore whether teacher verbal prompting or demonstrated modeling elicits higher levels of physical activity among preschoolers., Methods: Participants included 117 (56 females and 61 males; mean = 3.77 y) preschoolers who were observed for 3 days during regular preschool instructions. The System for Observing Student Movement in Academic Routines and Transitions observation system assessed verbal prompting and demonstrated modeling of the teachers, and preschoolers wore an ActiGraph accelerometer to measure physical activity., Results: The multivariate analysis of variance results showed a significant difference for verbal prompting (P < .001), demonstrated modeling (P = .032), light physical activity (P < .001), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; P < .001) between segments of the preschool day. A stepwise linear regression showed that preschooler's MVPA (P = .005) and light physical activity and MVPA (P = .036) were significantly related to demonstrated modeling, but not verbal prompting. During indoor time, light physical activity and MVPA were highest during large group, work time, and morning group, where teacher demonstrated modeling occurred the most., Conclusions: Teacher demonstrated modeling had a significant relationship to preschoolers' MVPA and light physical activity levels, while teacher verbal prompting did not.