Technology-Enhanced Classroom Activity Breaks Impacting Children's Physical Activity and Fitness.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of a 4-week technology-enhanced physical activity (PA) interventions on students’ real-time daily PA and aerobic fitness levels.

METHODS: 116 fifth-graders were assigned to one intervention group ( n = 31) participating in daily physical activity engaging the brain with Fitbit Challenge (PAEB-C), another intervention group ( n = 29) wearing Fitbits only (Fitbit-O) daily, five days per week, or the comparison group ( n = 56). Four-week real-time PA data were collected from the intervention students via Fitbase. Three groups were pre- and post-tested aerobic fitness.

RESULTS: The PAEB-C students showed significantly higher steps and minutes of being very active and fairly active ( F = 7.999, p = 0.014, ŋ = 0.121; F = 5.667, p = 0.021, ŋ = 0.089; F = 10.572, p = 0.002, ŋ = 0.154) and lower minutes of being sedentary daily ( F = 4.639, p = 0.035, ŋ = 0.074) than the Fitbit-O group. Both Fitbit groups exhibited significantly greater increases in aerobic fitness scores than the comparison group over time ( F = 21.946, p = 0.001, ŋ = 0.303). Boys were more physically active and fit than girls.

CONCLUSIONS: Technology-enhanced PA intervention was effective for improving real-time PA and aerobic fitness.