Vigorous Physical Activity Among Tweens in Lexington, Kentucky
Author Information
Author(s): Alfonso Moya L., McDermott Robert J., Thompson Zachary, Bryant Carol A., Courtney Anita H., Davis Jenna L., Zhu Yiliang, Jones Jeffery A.
Primary Institution: University of South Florida College of Public Health
Hypothesis
The VERB Summer Scorecard intervention will increase vigorous physical activity among tweens in Lexington, Kentucky.
Conclusion
The VERB Summer Scorecard intervention successfully increased the proportion of tweens engaging in vigorous physical activity over three years.
Supporting Evidence
- The proportion of youth engaging in vigorous physical activity increased from 32% in 2004 to 42% in 2007.
- VSS participants showed a greater increase in vigorous physical activity compared to nonparticipants.
- Community-based interventions can effectively promote physical activity among youth.
Takeaway
This study shows that a fun program can help kids be more active during the summer.
Methodology
The study used surveys to assess physical activity levels among tweens over three years, comparing participants of the intervention to nonparticipants.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce recall bias, and the lack of demographic tracking limits understanding of the sample's diversity.
Limitations
The study was limited to a single community and did not track individual students over time, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
Participants were tweens aged 9 to 13 years, with a racial composition of 81% white, 13.5% African American, and 3.3% Hispanic.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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