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Does the CATCH Early Childhood Program Increase Physical Activity Among Low-Income Preschoolers?-Results From a Pilot Study.
Chuang, RJ, Sharma, SV, Perry, C, Diamond, P
American journal of health promotion : AJHP. 2018;(2):344-348
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore whether the physical activity (PA) component of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC) program helps increasing preschoolers' PA during active times at preschool. DESIGN Nonrandomized controlled experimental study. SETTING Head Start centers in Houston, Texas, 2009 to 2010 school year. PARTICIPANTS A total of 439 preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years (3 intervention centers, n = 220; 3 comparison centers, n = 219). INTERVENTION The CATCH EC preschool-based teacher-led nutrition and PA program. MEASURES Preschoolers' PA was measured at baseline and postintervention using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time-Preschool version, a direct observation method measuring PA at the classroom level. Parent surveys provided demographic data. ANALYSIS Pre-to-post changes in preschoolers' PA were examined using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS Results show a significant decrease in the percentage time preschoolers spent in level 2 PA (low activity) at intervention ( P = .005) and comparison ( P = .041) centers. Indoor vigorous activity increased significantly on an average by +6.04% pre-to-post intervention among preschoolers in the intervention group ( P = .049); no significant change was found in the comparison group. CONCLUSION The CATCH EC favorably increased indoor vigorous PA level among low-income children attending Head Start.