An active school model to promote physical activity in elementary schools: action schools! BC.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of an active school model on children's physical activity (PA).

DESIGN: 16-month cluster randomised controlled trial.

SETTING: 10 elementary schools in Greater Vancouver, BC.

PARTICIPANTS: 515 children aged 9-11 years.

INTERVENTION: Action Schools! BC (AS! BC) is an active school model that provided schools with training and resources to increase children's PA. Schools implemented AS! BC with support from either external liaisons (liaison schools, LS; four schools) or internal champions (champion schools, CS; three schools). Outcomes were compared with usual practice (UP) schools (three schools).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: PA was measured four times during the study using pedometers (step count, steps/day).

RESULTS: Boys in the LS group took 1175 more steps per day, on average, than boys in the UP group (95% CI: 97 to 2253). Boys in the CS group also tended to have a higher step count than boys in the UP group (+804 steps/day; 95% CI: -341 to 1949). There was no difference in girls' step counts across groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The positive effect of the AS! BC model on boys' PA is important in light of the current global trend of decreased PA.