Impact of Active Breaks in Elementary School Children

University of Molise

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Performance; Academic Acheivement; Cognitive Performance

Treatments: Other: Creative; Other: Control; Other: Combined; Other: Fitness

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06684808

61/2020

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of 12 weeks of Active Breaks on motor, academic and cognitive performance in elementary school children.

Full description

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of 12 weeks of Active Breaks on motor, academic and cognitive performance in elementary school children. 159 children were recruited: 92 for experimental group (EG) and 67 for Control Group(CG); after the baseline assessment, the EG classes were randomly assigned into three experimental groups: creativity AB (CREAT; n = 30 ), fitness AB (FIT; n =31 ) and combined AB (COM; n= 31 ) . Specifically, the EG carried out an active break intervention for 12 weeks during curricular time, repeated twice a day, with the duration of 10 minutes, three times a week. CG did not performed any type of active breaks.

Enrollment: 159 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 6 to 8 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• attending second and third elementary classroom

Exclusion criteria

• to be free from injury, which could preclude the PA practice.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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159 participants in 4 patient groups

Fitness

Experimental group

Description:

The Fitness group engaged in active breaks aimed at improving cardiovascular efficiency. These breaks were designed to provide moderate to vigorous physical activity, incorporating both strength and aerobic exercises such as squats, jumping jacks, lunges, and running in place. Children were instructed to imitate the teacher's movements

Treatment:

Other: Fitness

Creative

Experimental group

Description:

The Creative group participated in active breaks that combined cognitive-creative and physical demands, incorporating activities like improvisations, dramatizations of events or short stories, simulation, and imitation games. These activities aimed to stimulate the creative process and enhance emotional expression within environmental constraints. Constraints, set by the teacher-such as specific rules, partner positioning, or speed of execution-limited movement options, encouraging students to explore new solutions to complete each task.

Treatment:

Other: Creative

Combined

Experimental group

Description:

The Combined group took active breaks by combining the Fitness protocol in the first break and the Creative protocol in the second.

Treatment:

Other: Combined

Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Regular physical activity at school during the weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Control