MTU Cork Library Catalogue

Project Spraoi : a school based intervention to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and positively impact the health of Irish primary school children / Mai O'Leary.

By: O'Leary, Mai [author].
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookSeries: Ph.D - Sport, Leisure and Childhood Studies.Publisher: Cork : Cork Institute of Technology, 2018Description: xvii, 199, A204 pages : color illustrations ; 30 cm.Content type: text Media type: unmediated Carrier type: volumeSubject(s): Health promotion -- School children -- Ireland | Physical fitness for children | Children -- Nutrition | Nutrition -- Health aspects -- Children -- Ireland | Sedentary behavior in childrenDDC classification: THESES PRESS Dissertation note: Thesis Cork Institute of Technology, 2018. Abstract: "AIM - The overall aim of this thesis was to determine whether a school-based multi component intervention titled Project Spraoi could increase physical activity (PA), improve nutritional knowledge/attitudes and positively impact the health of Cork primary school-aged children. A secondary aim of this research was to provide an objective assessment of the health status of children and compare markers of health across gender and school socio-economic status (SES). In addition, this study investigated if any association existed between these health markers and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). METHODS: Three separate studies were undertaken. STUDY 1: assessed the health markers (height, body mass, waist circumference, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), CRF (550-metre distance run test), accelerometry-determined PA and sedentariness of children (N=655) aged 6 and 10 years olds from 10 primary schools. STUDY 2: investigated the association between CRF and markers of health among children (N=917) from 11 primary schools. STUDY 3: assessed the 2 year impact of Project Spraoi using the RE-AIM (Reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation and maintenance) framework. Evaluation was conducted in 4 primary schools (2 intervention and 2 control). For 2 school years, intervention schools were assigned an 'Energizer' who promoted PA and healthy eating. A subsample of children from the intervention schools (n=106) and matching controls (n=125) had (i) markers of health, (ii) nutritional knowledge/attitudes and (iii) objective PA recorded as baseline and after 2 school years. Process evaluation techniques were also used to explore the impact of the intervention on teachers, parents and children. RESULTS: Study 1: found almost one in five (92%) children to be overweight/obese and less than half (42.2%) achieved the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. Boys ran faster and spent more minutes in MVPA than girls (≤0.05) and children attending low SES schools had greater waist circumference scores and slower run times (p<0.05) compared to their mid/high SES counterpoints. Study 2: revealed a positive association between run standard deviation scores (SDS) (slower run time) and both waist-height ratio (WHtR) (P<0.0005) and school SES (p=0.008) among 6 year olds. Among 10 year olds, WHtR (p<0.0005), school SES (p<0.0005) along with MVPA (p=0.001) and resting HR (p<0.0005) were all positive predictors of run SDS. Study 3: reported that Project Spraoi reached 473 children and 43 school staff and in comparison to control was associated with smaller waist circumference SDS (p<0.0005), lower resting HR (p=0.003) and favourable nutritional attitudes among 10 year olds. Process evaluation revealed that all teachers, parents and children reported positive outcomes for PA behaviour and nutritional knowledge/attitudes. CONCLUSION: The current research confirms the need for intervention among Irish primary school-aged children. Policy efforts to improve health should target girls, increased CRF and must priorities children attending low SES schools. The positive impact of Project Spraoi on fat mass and resting HR among participants supports the need for its continued delivery". Abstract.
List(s) this item appears in: PhD Theses
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Reference MTU Bishopstown Library Thesis THESES PRESS (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Reference 00181216
Total holds: 0

Thesis Cork Institute of Technology, 2018.

Bibliography: (pages 161-199)

"AIM - The overall aim of this thesis was to determine whether a school-based multi component intervention titled Project Spraoi could increase physical activity (PA), improve nutritional knowledge/attitudes and positively impact the health of Cork primary school-aged children. A secondary aim of this research was to provide an objective assessment of the health status of children and compare markers of health across gender and school socio-economic status (SES). In addition, this study investigated if any association existed between these health markers and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). METHODS: Three separate studies were undertaken. STUDY 1: assessed the health markers (height, body mass, waist circumference, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), CRF (550-metre distance run test), accelerometry-determined PA and sedentariness of children (N=655) aged 6 and 10 years olds from 10 primary schools. STUDY 2: investigated the association between CRF and markers of health among children (N=917) from 11 primary schools. STUDY 3: assessed the 2 year impact of Project Spraoi using the RE-AIM (Reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation and maintenance) framework. Evaluation was conducted in 4 primary schools (2 intervention and 2 control). For 2 school years, intervention schools were assigned an 'Energizer' who promoted PA and healthy eating. A subsample of children from the intervention schools (n=106) and matching controls (n=125) had (i) markers of health, (ii) nutritional knowledge/attitudes and (iii) objective PA recorded as baseline and after 2 school years. Process evaluation techniques were also used to explore the impact of the intervention on teachers, parents and children. RESULTS: Study 1: found almost one in five (92%) children to be overweight/obese and less than half (42.2%) achieved the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. Boys ran faster and spent more minutes in MVPA than girls (≤0.05) and children attending low SES schools had greater waist circumference scores and slower run times (p<0.05) compared to their mid/high SES counterpoints. Study 2: revealed a positive association between run standard deviation scores (SDS) (slower run time) and both waist-height ratio (WHtR) (P<0.0005) and school SES (p=0.008) among 6 year olds. Among 10 year olds, WHtR (p<0.0005), school SES (p<0.0005) along with MVPA (p=0.001) and resting HR (p<0.0005) were all positive predictors of run SDS. Study 3: reported that Project Spraoi reached 473 children and 43 school staff and in comparison to control was associated with smaller waist circumference SDS (p<0.0005), lower resting HR (p=0.003) and favourable nutritional attitudes among 10 year olds. Process evaluation revealed that all teachers, parents and children reported positive outcomes for PA behaviour and nutritional knowledge/attitudes. CONCLUSION: The current research confirms the need for intervention among Irish primary school-aged children. Policy efforts to improve health should target girls, increased CRF and must priorities children attending low SES schools. The positive impact of Project Spraoi on fat mass and resting HR among participants supports the need for its continued delivery". Abstract.

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