Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 SSRC
2 PhD in sport physiology from Shahid Beheshti University
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a fun virtual purposeful active play program on children's physical fitness during home quarantine due to the outbreak of Covid-19. Twenty children 5-6 Yrs. old were selected to participate in the study based on a call posted in different social networks. Subjects were divided into two groups of 10 experimental and control. Modified physical fitness tests were used in the pre- and post-tests, which were performed in person but in accordance with health protocols. The training program was designed based on the three indicators including physical fitness elements and fundamental movement skills and enjoyment. The experimental group trained eight weeks online sessions (two 60-minute sessions per week) using the Zoom program. Analysis of Covariance method was used to detect differences between groups in the post-test by controlling pre-test scores. The results showed that the training program had a significant effect on improving the mean scores of flexibility, muscle endurance and hand strength of the experimental group (P<0.05). On the other hand, there was no significant improvement in cardiopulmonary endurance after the program group (P>0.05). Conclusion is purposeful active play program can have a positive effect on most elements of physical fitness in children during long periods of sedentary lifestyle.
Keywords
- Malina RM, Katzmarzyk PT. Physical activity and fitness in an international growth standard for preadolescent and adolescent children. Food Nutr Bull. 2006;27(4_suppl5):S295-S313.
- Guan H, Okely AD, Aguilar-Farias N, del Pozo Cruz B, Draper CE, El Hamdouchi A, et al. Promoting healthy movement behaviours among children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4(6):416-8.
- Kohl III HW, Cook HD. Educating the student body: taking physical activity and physical education to school. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2013.
- Organization WH. Taking action on childhood obesity. World Health Organization; 2018.
- Fang H, Quan M, Zhou T, Sun S, Zhang J, Zhang H, et al. Relationship between physical activity and physical fitness in preschool children: a cross-sectional study. Biomed Res Int. 2017; (1):1-8.
- Latorre Román P, Moreno del Castillo R, Lucena Zurita M, Salas Sánchez J, García‐Pinillos F, Mora López D. Physical fitness in preschool children: association with sex, age and weight status. Child Care Health Dev. 2017;43(2):267-73.
- Malina RM, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O. Growth, maturation, and physical activity. United States: Human Kinetics; 2004.
- Gallahue DL, Donnelly FC. Developmental physical education for all children. United States: Human Kinetics; 2007.
- Dunton GF, Do B, Wang SD. Early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behavior in children living in the US. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1-13.
- Myer GD, Lloyd RS, Brent JL, Faigenbaum AD. How young is “too young” to start training? ACSMs Health Fit J. 2013;17(5):14.
- Downing KL, Hnatiuk JA, Hinkley T, Salmon J, Hesketh KD. Interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour in 0–5-year-olds: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(5):314-21.
- Tortella P, Haga M, Ingebrigtsen JE, Fumagalli GF, Sigmundsson H. Comparing free play and partly structured play in 4-5-years-old children in an outdoor playground. Front Public Health. 2019;7:197.
- Latino F, Fischetti F, Cataldi S, Monacis D, Colella D. The Impact of an 8-Weeks At-Home Physical Activity Plan on Academic Achievement at the Time of COVID-19 Lock-Down in Italian School. Sustainability. 2021;13(11):5812.
- Cools W, De Martelaer K, Samaey C, Andries C. Movement skill assessment of typically developing preschool children: a review of seven movement skill assessment tools. J Sports Sci Med. 2009;8(2):154.
- Donnelly FC, Mueller SS, Gallahue DL. Developmental physical education for all children: theory into practice. United States: Human Kinetics; 2016.
- Tomporowski PD, McCullick BA, Pesce C. Enhancing children’s cognition with physical activity games. United States: Human Kinetics; 2015.
- España-Romero V, Artero E, Jimenez-Pavón D, Cuenca-Garcia M, Ortega F, Castro-Pinero J, et al. Assessing health-related fitness tests in the school setting: reliability, feasibility and safety; the ALPHA Study. Int J Sports Med. 2010;31(07):490-7.
- Ortega FB, Cadenas-Sánchez C, Sánchez-Delgado G, Mora-González J, Martínez-Téllez B, Artero EG, et al. Systematic review and proposal of a field-based physical fitness-test battery in preschool children: the PREFIT battery. Sports Med. 2015;45(4):533-55.
- Verstraete SJ, Cardon GM, De Clercq DL, De Bourdeaudhuij IM. Increasing children’s physical activity levels during recess periods in elementary schools: the effects of providing game equipment. Eur J Public Health. 2006;16(4):415-9.
- McKenzie TL, Sallis JF, Elder JP, Berry CC, Hoy PL, Nader PR, et al. Physical activity levels and prompts in young children at recess: a two-year study of a bi-ethnic sample. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1997; 68(3):195-202.
- Russell V. Luepker, Cheryl L. Perry, Sonja M. Outcomes of a field trial to improve children’s dietary patterns and physical activitythe child and adolescent trial for cardiovascular health (CATCH). Res Q Exerc Sport. 1996;275(10):768-76.
- O’Dwyer MV, Fairclough SJ, Knowles Z, Stratton G. Effect of a family focused active play intervention on sedentary time and physical activity in preschool children. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9(1):1-13.
- Stratton G. Promoting children’s physical activity in primary school: an intervention study using playground markings. Ergonomics. 2000;43(10):1538-46.
- Scruggs PW, Beveridge SK, Watson DL. Increasing children’s school time physical activity using structured fitness breaks. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2003;15(2):156-69.
- Eather N, Morgan PJ, Lubans DR. Social support from teachers mediates physical activity behavior change in children participating in the Fit-4-Fun intervention. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013;10(1):1-15.
- Frank ML, Flynn A, Farnell GS, Barkley JE. The differences in physical activity levels in preschool children during free play recess and structured play recess. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2018;16(1):37-42.
- Kleiber D, Larson R, Csikszentmihalyi M. The experience of leisure in adolescence. J Leis Res. 1986;18(3):169-76.
- Barreiro JA, Howard R. Incorporating unstructured free play into organized sports. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2017;39(2):11-9.
- Cech DJ, Martin ST. Functional movement development across the life span. United States: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2011.
- Jones RA, Riethmuller A, Hesketh K, Trezise J, Batterham M, Okely AD. Promoting fundamental movement skill development and physical activity in early childhood settings: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2011;23(4):600-15.
- Engel AC, Broderick CR, van Doorn N, Hardy LL, Parmenter BJ. Exploring the relationship between fundamental motor skill interventions and physical activity levels in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2018;48(8):1845-57.
- Beunen G, Thomis M. Muscular strength development in children and adolescents. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2000;12(2):174-97.
- Rowland TW. Children’s exercise physiology. Toronto: University of Toronto Press; 2006.
- Saltin B. Response to exercise after bed rest and after training. Circulation. 1968;38:1-78.
- Ekblom B. Effect of physical training on oxygen transport system in man. Acta Physiol Scand. 328:1-45;1968.
)