Table 1 Physical activity intervention components of the ACTIVITAL study implemented among 12–15 year old adolescents in 10 schools of Cuenca – Ecuador during 2010–2012: description of strategies, dose and response *
What | Who/where | Why | When | How | Dose/response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Individual-based strategies | |||||
Book 1 (Curriculum) | School teachers and trained staff/ classroom | - To create awareness regarding the importance of an adequate physical activity throughout adolescence | September 2010 - February 2011 | Thought textbooks and pedagogic materials for teachers and students. The material contained educational objectives, clear instructions for implementation the physical and educational activities during the classes without additional training. | Dose: 100% of classes addressing physical activity component were delivered |
One out of five chapters addressed physical activity and sedentary behavior. This chapter was developed to be delivered in 90 minutes | |||||
Each chapter was performed every two weeks. | |||||
Response: The students had a 95% of average attendance of classes on physical activity around 75% of adolescents showed an active participation in the classes 54% of the scheduled classes addressing physical activity component were delivered by the school teacher | |||||
- To increase knowledge and enhance decision-making skills | |||||
Book 2 (Curriculum) | School teachers and trained staff/classroom | - To encourage the adolescents to be physically active for at least 60 min per day and to spend maximum 2 hour per day on sedentary activities. | September 2011-January 2012. Each chapter was performed every two weeks. | A second set of textbooks and pedagogic materials were developed for teachers and students. The material contained educational objectives and clear instructions for implementing the physical and educational activities. | |
The book contained 8 chapters in total and one corresponded to the physical activity. Chapter 7: Physical Activity (how to remove barriers in order to be more physically active). This chapter was planned to be delivered in 90 minutes. | |||||
2. Environment-based strategies | |||||
Parental workshops | ACTIVITAL staff/school meeting room | - To support healthy behavior of adolescents at home - To increase the awareness of parents regarding the importance of regular physical activity for adolescents, how to be active during the day and how to deal with barriers to be physically active. | 1 workshop from October 2010 till February 2011 1 workshop from October 2011 till January 2012 | Workshops of 1 hour were delivered by the ACTIVITAL staff. Parents attendance was mandatory through a letter signed by each school principal Each leaflet included theoretical information, advises and benefits on the particular topic of the workshops | Dose: Two workshops (100%) related to physical activity component were delivered as planned. Response: Around 10% of the parents attended both workshops. Around 97% of the parents showed an interest in the contents of the workshops |
In total six workshops were performed. Informative leaflets supporting the content of the workshop were distributed to each participant during the workshops. Two workshops focused on decreasing sedentary time and increasing physical activity (1st year) and dealing with barriers for physical activity (2th year). | |||||
Social event | Young athletes/auditorium | To encourage physical activity through the positive influence of social models | Once during the intervention | A 1-hour interactive session with young athletes was given. Athletes shared their personal sport experiences and gave advice on active lifestyles and physical activity. | Dose: One pep talk was delivered in each school (100%) |
-Pep talks by successful and well-known young male (n = 3) and female (n = 2) athletes, which were international young champions in BMX, swimming, racquetball and weightlifting | |||||
Response: Around 78% of adolescents showed an interest in the pep talks. | |||||
Walking trail and posters | Physical education teacher/classroom | - To increase availability and accessibility to opportunities for physical activity inside the schools | September 2011 – January 2012 | The physical education teacher explained the students about the importance of being physically active and how the students could use the walking trail to be more active during recess. | Dose: The walking trail was implemented in the ten schools (100%) |
- Using line markings, a walking trail was drawn on the school’s playground. The length of the trail was the perimeter of playground. | |||||
Response: Around 25% of the adolescents used the walking trail according to the results of the two schools where the walking trail was evaluated. | |||||
- To motivate the students to walk more during the recess time | |||||
- 3 posters suspended on the school walls adjacent to the trail, with phrases like: “Do you like to talk? Walk and Talk” | |||||
Posters for classroom and food tuck shop | ACTIVITAL staff/classroom and food tuck shop | - To encourage students to be active and eat healthy | Monthly from October 2010 to February 2011 | Posters included key messages to be active were suspended on the classroom walls and in front of the food tuck shops. | Dose: The five posters (100%) were suspended in the classroom and food tuck shop |
Fiver different posters with key messages on physical activity and pictures of the young athletes |