Physical Activity Habits and Well-Being among 6-Year-Old Children: The “Improving Umbrian Kids’ Healthy Lifestyle”, an Uncontrolled Pilot Study Project

Roberto Pippi, Livia Buratta, Alessandro Germani, Carmine Giuseppe Fanelli and Claudia Mazzeschi
Additional contact information
Roberto Pippi: Centro Universitario Ricerca Interdipartimentale Attività Motoria (C.U.R.I.A.MO.), Healthy Lifestyle Institute, University of Perugia, Via Giuseppe Bambagioni 19, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Livia Buratta: Department of Philosophy, Social, Human and Educational Sciences, University of Perugia, Piazza G. Ermini 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Alessandro Germani: Department of Philosophy, Social, Human and Educational Sciences, University of Perugia, Piazza G. Ermini 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Carmine Giuseppe Fanelli: Centro Universitario Ricerca Interdipartimentale Attività Motoria (C.U.R.I.A.MO.), Healthy Lifestyle Institute, University of Perugia, Via Giuseppe Bambagioni 19, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Claudia Mazzeschi: Department of Philosophy, Social, Human and Educational Sciences, University of Perugia, Piazza G. Ermini 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: There is evidence that promoting physical activity programs and decreasing sedentary behavior is a potential strategy for improving health-outcomes, peer relationships and social/emotional well-being in at-risk youth. The World Health Organization recommends enhancing physical education and school-based programs with multi-component and evidence-based assessment methodology. In Umbria (Italy) an uncontrolled pilot study project referred to as “Improving Umbrian kids’ healthy lifestyle” was implemented as a systemic school-based intervention directed at 6-year-old primary school children. The intervention applied a consolidated assessment methodology developed by the C.U.R.I.A.Mo. and Eurobis projects that inserted two hours per week of physical education activity into the school curriculum, structured and supervised by specialists with Exercise and Sport Science degrees, for eight months (from October to June) of the school year. We measured anthropometric values (BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio index) with objective tools. Moreover, we evaluated physical performance variables (speed, strength, and flexibility) using standard tests. Additionally, self-report measures (measured physical activity during the week, sedentary habits, and psychological well-being) were assessed using validated questionnaires. We observed a significant decrease in waist to height ratio, and improvements in physical performance values and self-report questionnaire measures. Our study suggests that the promotion of physical activity in the school setting is likely to result in physically, mentally, and psycho-socially healthier primary-school-age children.

Keywords: healthy habits; school-based programs; multi-component assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6067/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6067/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:17:p:6067-:d:401710

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().