Parental Perception on the Efficacy of a Physical Activity Program for Preschoolers.
Summary of "Parental Perception on the Efficacy of a Physical Activity Program for Preschoolers."
Childhood obesity is among the leading health concerns in the United States. The relationship between unmet physical activity needs in young children is of particular interest as the trend in childhood obesity continues to rise and unmet physical activity needs are identified. The preschool years are an influential time in promoting healthful lifestyle habits and early childhood interventions may help establish lifelong healthful behaviors which could help prevent obesity later in life. The Food Friends ((R)) : Get Movin' with Mighty Moves ((R)) is a preschool physical activity program which aims to improve children's gross motor skills and physical activity levels. The home environment and parental modeling are critical factors related to child physical activity in this population. The parent component, Mighty Moves ((R)) : Fun Ways to Keep Families Active and Healthy, was designed to address barriers in the home environment that lead to unmet physical activity needs in preschoolers and their families. The program and materials were designed based on Social Marketing tenets and Social Learning Theory principles. Four Colorado Head Start centers were assigned to an experimental group as part of the Mighty Moves ((R)) group randomized trial. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods were used to determine what messages and materials reached and motivated the target audience to increase physical activity levels. Results of the study indicated the program's materials helped families and children to be more physically active. Additionally, materials and material dissemination were revised to enhance program goals.
Affiliation
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1571, USA, bellows@cahs.colostate.edu.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Journal of community health
ISSN: 1573-3610
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20697786
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10900-010-9302-1
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Program Evaluation
Studies designed to assess the efficacy of programs. They may include the evaluation of cost-effectiveness, the extent to which objectives are met, or impact.
Exercise
Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.
Physical Endurance
The time span between the beginning of physical activity by an individual and the termination because of exhaustion.
Gender Identity
A person's concept of self as being male and masculine or female and feminine, or ambivalent, based in part on physical characteristics, parental responses, and psychological and social pressures. It is the internal experience of gender role.
Space Perception
The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space.
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