Kids Sports Stars

Improved cardiovascular fitness (as measured by the PACER test) was shown in the Paradise Valley School District, 10 Title I schools, 1100 kids, after one year of participation in the program. Additionally

The project benefited low income, Hispanic children with all showing improved cardiovascular fitness after participation in the program.
The program attrition rate was low (17.8%) indicating that children remained active for the duration of the program. This is especially significant when we consider that elementary school children who engage in physical activity are more likely to become active adults.

Key measurements related to physical fitness and weight loss were taken: BMI, waist circumference, adiposity, cardio-respiratory endurance and physical activity attitudes and behaviors.

Alisa Hawthorne, RN, Project Coordinator and Dr. Bonnie-Gance Cleveland, PhD, RN, Senior Researcher and ASU Faculty Member, headed the research and presented this project, data and findings in October 2008 at the American Public Health Association Conference in Los Angeles, CA. The team is submitting the project for publication.

Reduced obesity levels (as measured by BMI) were achieved over two years in the program in Creighton School District, 9 Title I schools, 614 students.

Close to half of the students who were overweight at the beginning of year 1 were normal weight after two years in the program
Among the obese students at the beginning of the two years, 10 percent demonstrated normal weight and another 12 percent demonstrated a drop down to overweight after two years
Among those who were obese at the start of the intervention, boys demonstrated better results during the first school year, but the girls manifested better two year results.
All of the underweight students moved to normal weight
Almost 90 % of the normal weight students remained normal weight and almost none became obese; this is significant because of the normal trend is for 1/3 of students toward obesity
Overall the results were remarkably stable between the end of year 1 and the follow up at the end of the second year
Surprisingly, there was little relationship between the total number of miles walked and change in Body Mass Index (BMI).

Methodology: During the 2006-07 academic year data was obtained from 614 children who participated in the Creighton Schools Kids Rock program. Complete pre and post data was obtained from almost two-thirds of these children. Height and weight were obtained at the start of the school year and height, weight, and distance walked was also obtained at the end of the school year. A subset of 180 of these subjects also provided height and weight measurements one year after the end of the initial intervention. The height and weight measurements were employed to calculate BMIs which were then converted to percentiles for gender and age. Consistent with CDC guideline for children�s BMI, those at or below the fifth percentile were classified as underweight, those between the 5th and 84th percentile were classified as normal weight, those between the 85th and 95th percentiles were classified as overweight, and those at or above the 95th percentile were classified as obese.

At intake, more than half of the participants were normal weight, very few were underweight, and slightly more were obese than were overweight. At the end of the academic year there was a large impact, measured by effect size, in raising the BMI of the underweight children, and a borderline impact in reducing the BMI of overweight boys. The participants ranged in age at intake from 8 to 12 and the only age finding was that for obese boys the intervention worked mildly better for those who were older. Surprisingly, there was little relationship between the total number of miles walked and change in BMI.

Over 5000 kids walking and running in 25 schools
Over 75% of kids completed the programs
75% or more of kids finished the marathon distance (26 miles or greater )
84% of parents thought their child exercised �a lot or a �little more�
76% of parents thought other people in the family were exercising �a lot� or a �little more�

Over 1000 parents participated in the after school events of the program
Growing parental involvement: three times the parental contacts year over year

81% of parents perceive their children eating healthier foods� a lot� or �a little more�
Increasing percents of parents are identifying healthy snacks, recommended number of fruits and vegetables, recommended limits of screen time, and how often fast food eating is OK
Parents were able to identify specific examples of plans to make positive changes in their family�s eating and activity habits

An evaluation model is in place to guide the data gathering on participating children and families across districts and is a requirement for all funded programs. It was developed by Dr. Wayne Parker, Director of Research and Evaluation for the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, and is monitored by the KSS Evaluation Advisory Board of educators, physicians and researchers. Currently, each program gathers pre and post measures on at least a subset of the following key metrics: weight/height (BMI), cardio pulmonary endurance (PACER test), waist circumference, adiposity, self confidence, disruptive behavior, attendance, academic performance, and physical activity attitudes and behaviors. This data is correlated with program activity measures to compare the intervention group with a control group. Ideally, data is gathered at the beginning and end of each 16 week program session, at the end of the school year and at the end of year two. The results are also correlated with teacher reported changes in student self-confidence and disruptive behavior. Parental knowledge surveys are administered at the beginning and end of the program; changes in the family's eating behaviors are currently being measured as part of the added Families in Training focus.

Evaluation of program impacts on the children and their families is a cornerstone and requirement of KSS programs. Desired outcomes include both improved BEHAVIOR and KNOWLEDGE as listed below. Initial positive outcomes have been solidly shown in 2006-8 programs in the areas noted with a * below:

*Increased levels of physical activity for the kids and parents (miles walked/run)
*Reduction in obesity levels of kids (BMI as defined by the Centers for Disease Control)
*Improvements in kids� cardio-respiratory endurance (PACER test)
*Improvements in attitudes about physical activity for kids and families
*Improvements in kids' self confidence
Positive changes in healthy eating behaviors for families; led by Mom's, they "do things differently"
Improvement in kids' academic performance as measured or indicated by standard test scores, grades, attendance, disruptive behavior, or similar measure which can easily/readily be gathered.